Lumbricidae communities in soil monitoring sites differently managed and polluted with heavy metals

Species composition, density and biomass of earthworms were studied on 84 differently managed and polluted sites (field, grassland, deciduous forest, coniferous forest, alluvial sites and mine spoil). All these sites are constantly monitored since a decade. In 13 sites amounts of heavy metals increased from: Cd – 3 to 6 mg kg⁻¹, Zn – 303 to 606 mg kg⁻¹, Pb – 95 to 317 mg kg⁻¹, Ni – 31 to 55 mg kg⁻¹, Cr – 58 to 80 mg kg⁻¹, and Cu – 59 to 114 mg kg⁻¹ soil, that is up to 2000, 880, 1090, 295, 320, and 520% higher, respectively, than in unpolluted field sites. Results show that metal pollution is not a dominating factor determining the species diversity and densities of earthworms. Remarkable differences in the distribution of ecological groups were found between biotope types. The endogeic species (Aporrectodea caliginosa Savigny, Aporrectodea rosea Savigny, Allolobophora chlorotica Savigny, Octolasion cyaneum Savigny) dominate in field and grassland habitats. The anecic species (Lumbricus terrestris L., Aporrectodea longa Ude), however, appear mostly in grassland. Epigeic species (Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister, Lumbricus castaneus Savigny, Dendrobaena octaedra Savigny) are found exclusively (in addition to the other two life forms) in grassland and the forest habitats. Differences in earthworm biomass between monitoring sites are not related to ecological risk assessment. These differences may be largely dependant on soil properties e.g. pH and organic matter. A matrix with the ecological requirements of earthworm species was developed.