Soil Organisms (Aug 2009)
Enchytraeids and earthworms (Annelida: Clitellata: Enchytraeidae, Lumbricidae) of parks in the city of Brno, Czech Republic
Abstract
In 2006–2008 soil-dwelling annelids were studied in old parks in the central part of Brno (Czechia). The sites fell into three distinct size classes: 16–18 ha, 1.7–2.7 ha and lawns of 100 m2. Earthworms were sampled by the Electro-octet Method and enchytraeids by wet funnel extraction from soil cores. Mean enchytraeid densities were low, not exceeding ca. 6100 ind. m-2. Mean earthworm densities ranged between 109 and 295 ind. m-2. Per park, 3 to 13 enchytraeid species and from 2 to 6 earthworm species were found, for all parks pooled 9 enchytraeid and 8 lumbricid species. Epigeic earthworm species were almost absent. Species richness in the largest and medium-sized parks was similar for both taxa. In enchytraeids lowest species numbers were found in the smallest plots, in earthworms in one of the 100 m2 plots, whereas the other one hosted as many or more species than two of the medium-sized parks. Assemblages sampled in small woods in different parks were more similar to each other than to those of lawns from the same parks. Assemblages of the smaller parks had higher percentages of Buchholzia spp., Enchytraeus spp. and Henlea ventriculosa, probably indicating higher disturbance levels. Three enchytraeid species were first records for the Czech Republic.
