| Summary: | Forest conversion to agriculture systems leads to change on litter input (quantitatively and qualitatively) resulting lower diversity, population density and biomass of earthworm. Litter with ratio C/N <20, or ratio of (lignin (L)+polifenol (P))/N <10 classified as high quality which decomposed rapidly. Six types of litter application were tested i.e. prunning of cofee with the lowest (L+P)/N of 7.5, Gliricidia (L+P)/N of 10, avocado with (L+P)/N of 31, Cofee+Gliricidia with (L+P)/N of 12, Cofee+Gliricidia+ avocado with the highest (L+P)/N of 64. As control soil without litter application was used. Applying tree litters regardless their quality increased significantly (p<0.05) all growth parameters of earthworm, except for Gliricidia application lead to higher level of earthworm mortality starting at 20 days after treatment. Applied a low quality of avocado litter to the soil produced the highest biomass (0.79 g/indiv.), diameter (2.42 mm/indiv.) and length (6.13 cm/indiv.). Mixing coffee litter with Gliricidia litter increased earthworm mortality (5.5% to 42.5%) and reduced production of cocoon (2 become 0 cocoons) compared to coffee applied alone. Coffee+Gliricidia+Avocado lead to longer live earthworm up to 80 days Apparently Gliricidia litter producing chemical substances which harmful to earthworm.
Keyword: earthworm, litter quality, forest conversion
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