(1) (2) (3) 16 20 35 Effect of Vegetation and Soil Properties on Earthworm Population Li-Ling Lin Professor, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C Kuo-Chien He, Wen-Ying Lin Graduate Student, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C ABSTRACT Earthworms are macro-organisms in soil, and play the important roles of ecology. Reviewing the studies before 19th century, forerunners considered that earthworms were pests. This is because (1) (2) (3) 333
36(4)333-344 (2004) Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 36(4)333-344 (2004) earthworms dig soil on surface and prevent plants to grow. But until Darwin published The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms, it showed clearly that earthworms can promote soil weathering, soil fertility, and plant growing. People began to respect earthworms and human s relationship. Earthworms feed on residual and organic matter, and earthworms group size often be decided on sufficient food. Therefore, a zone where suits earthworms living must suit plant growing. In Taiwan, there are steep landforms and we usually apply vegetation method to conserve soil and water resources. A a zone supply plants growing also can supply earthworms to live. Sixteen landslide area which have been treated vegetation method were selected to investigate. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of vegetation and soil properties on earthworm population. We hope that earthworms can be uses as a biological index to evaluate the success of vegetation method. The results indicated that gravel content is an important limiting factor for earthworm population. When gravel content greater than 20, earthworm population will decrease, and no earthworms were found when gravel content greater than 35. Furthermore, plants diversity and multilevel vegetation will promote earthworm population grow. (Keywords: Earthworms, Vegetation, Soil properties) Graff(1983) earthworm, potworm, or freshwater ringed worm Annelida Oligochaeta Darwin1881 (The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms, with 41 23 observations on their habits.) 18 2002 2000 1 metamerism 2 seta 450 300 3 100 4 bulk fooding 1990 Edwards1998 334
(Edwards1983; Lofs-Holmin1983) C/N 20 C/N 60 Hendrix et al. (1992) 16 1 1. Table 1. The basic data and vegetation method of landslide area. 335
36(4)333-344 (2004) Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 36(4)333-344 (2004) 1 16 1m*1m 50cm*50cm*30cmEdwards1998 ph. Figure 1. The flow chart of research. 336
16 28 2 3 2004 89 2. Table 1. The soil properties of sampling plots. 337
36(4)333-344 (2004) Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 36(4)333-344 (2004) 3. Table 3. Investigation data of study plots. 338
15 ph Edwards1998 2001 2. ph 1. ph 5.0~7.4Edwards (Guild 1948) 1998 ph4.5 (ph3.5) (Stachell1967; Bouché1972)28 ph 4.74 8.2 3 ph4.74 ph8.2 2 ph 78 4.728.2 3 ph5.95~7.42 28 20 35 2. Figure 2. Earthworm population and gravel content in soil. 339
36(4)333-344 (2004) Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 36(4)333-344 (2004) 3. ph Figure 3. Earthworm population and ph. 3. Hendrix et al. (1992) 28 5.6 0.23 1. 0.68 4 5 5.6 0.4 t-test 0.05 73 4.15 90 28 20 11 90 28.5 28 90 12.4 0.24 t-test 0.05 t-test0.05 35 30cm 90 90 0.55 t-test 0.05 1 86.3 65.9 t-test0.05 340
4. Figure 4. Earthworm population and organic matter. 5. Figure 5. Earthworm population and vegetation cover. 341
36(4)333-344 (2004) Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 36(4)333-344 (2004) 2. 7 0.54 t-test 0.05 6 0.57 #1 6 t-test 0.05 #3 #1 #3 16 66 96 95 55 80 33.2 3. 9 t-test 0.05 6. Figure 6. Earthworm population and litter mulching. 342
7. Figure 7. Earthworm population and plant species. Maet al.(1990) ph 4 1. 4. 2. 3. Darwin1881Edwards 343
36(4)333-344 (2004) Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 36(4)333-344 (2004) 1998 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 11. 4. 5. é É é é 12. 6. 7. 13. 8. 93 11 09 93 12 05 93 12 11 344