Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Soil
Site
R T.R. B.E. P.B.
S p e c i e s
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Allolobophora dacica
(Pop, 1938)
Allolobophora georgii
Michaelsen, 1895
Allolobophora rosea
(Savigny, 1826)
Dendrobaena alpina
(Rosa, 1884)
Dendrobaena byblica
(Rosa, 1893)
Dendrobaena clujensis
Pop, 1938
Dendrobaena rubida
(Savigny, 1826)
Lumbricus polyphemus
(Fitzinger, 1883)
Lumbricus rubellus
Hoffmeister, 1843
Octolasion lacteum
(Örley, 1885)
Octodrilus aporus
V. V. Pop, 1989
Octodrilus bihariensis
V. V. Pop, 1989
Octodrilus compromissus
Zicsi & V. V. Pop, 1984
Octodrilus exacystis
(Rosa, 1896)
Octodrilus frivaldszkyi
(Örley, 1880)
Octodrilus ophiomorphus
V. V. Pop, 1989
Octodrilus permagnus
V. V. Pop, 1989
FIGURE 7.8
Structure of earthworm communities with
O. frivaldszkyi
in forest ecosystems on limestone
from the Carpathians.
lacteum
. The substitution of ecologically similar species seems to follow certain zones along the
Carpathian range. In the southwestern part (Mehedinti, Cerna, and Retezat Mountains),
Allolobo-
phora
species often substitute for the endemic
Octodrilus
species. Here, the very large (40 to 80
cm long)
Allolobophora robusta
substitutes for the giant
Octodrilus
species;
Allolobophora meha-
diensis
occurs instead of medium-size
Octodrilus
species. In the northern part of the eastern
Carpathians, the
Octodrilus
species are replaced by
Allolobophora carpathica
. Biogeography and
geochronological timing could explain the functional relationships among earthworm communities,
vegetation, and soil types. Long convolution and coadaptation of the beech-earthworm association
might also explain the perfection of these relationships (Pop 1982).
Earthworm communities with
Octodrilus
species in grassland ecosystems are shown in
Figure
tures. In areas with acid soils, only the relatively widespread
O. exacystis
and
O. compromissus
occurred. In limestone areas, endemic earthworm species such as
O. bihariensis
and
O. exacystis
meziadensis
typified the local peculiarities.
S
EASONAL
D
YNAMICS
OF
E
ARTHWORM
C
OMMUNITIES
WITH
O
CTODRILUS
FRIVALDSZKYI
The Padis karstic plateau, situated in the middle of the Apuseni Mountains (
Figure 7.2
), a quite
large limestone area, is covered by beech forests with patches of fir tree forests (on acid rocks)
and represents the typical habitat for
O. frivaldszkyi
and
O. bihariensis
, two of the most
interesting species of this genus. These species also indicate the presence of other endemic
soil-dwelling invertebrates. The scientific importance of several well-known caves and the
peculiar terrestrial flora and fauna of the central part of the Apuseni Mountains have led to
preliminary studies of making a nature reserve of the Padis karstic area. It is in this framework
that we have studied the structure of the earthworm communities. In 1979, seasonal earthworm
dynamics were studied at three representative sites, namely, in a beech forest (Padis), a mixed
beech-spruce fir forest (Prul Ponor) and a spruce fir tree forest (Calineasa). In the beech
