Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, India
The population status and biomass of earthworms were studied in three different land use systems of pasture (Pa), silvopasture (SP), and mixed evergreen forest (MEF) from 2019–2020 in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The aim of this study was to assess the population status of earthwor...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Soil Systems |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/6/4/76 |
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| author | Kasahun Gudeta Ankeet Bhagat Jatinder Mohan Julka Sartaj Ahmad Bhat Gopal Krishan Sharma Getachew Bantihun Ryszard Amarowicz Merga Belina |
| author_facet | Kasahun Gudeta Ankeet Bhagat Jatinder Mohan Julka Sartaj Ahmad Bhat Gopal Krishan Sharma Getachew Bantihun Ryszard Amarowicz Merga Belina |
| author_sort | Kasahun Gudeta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The population status and biomass of earthworms were studied in three different land use systems of pasture (Pa), silvopasture (SP), and mixed evergreen forest (MEF) from 2019–2020 in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The aim of this study was to assess the population status of earthworms and investigate how different land use systems influence their abundance, diversity, and biomass. Earthworms and soil were sampled using the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility (TSBF) method in all seasons (winter, spring, summer, monsoon, and autumn). The physicochemical properties of the soil were analyzed to evaluate their effects on the diversity, biomass, and density of animals. The diversity status parameters, such as the Shannon diversity index (H′), Margalef richness index (R), evenness (J′), and dominance index (D), were computed. A total of seven earthworm species, belonging to four families, namely, <i>Amynthas</i> <i>corticis</i>, <i>Aporrectodea rosea</i>, <i>Drawida japonica</i>, <i>Eisenia fetida</i>, <i>Metaphire birmanica</i>, <i>Metaphire houlleti</i>, and <i>Lennogaster pusillus</i>, were identified from all three land use systems. The lowest Shannon diversity index (H′), Margalef index (R), and evenness (J′) index values were registered in MEF (H′ = 0.661, R = 0.762, J′ = 0.369) compared to those in Pa (H′ = 1.25, R = 1.165, J′ = 0.696) and SP (H′ = 0.99, R = 0.883, J′ = 0.552), implying that MEF is the least diversified land system. In contrast, the highest dominance index (D) value was registered in MEF (Pa = 0.39, SP = 0.53, MEF = 0.67), which again showed that MEF is the least diversified land system. The highest values of abundance and biomass were recorded in MEF (754.15 individuals m<sup>−2</sup> and 156.02 g m<sup>−2</sup>), followed by SP (306.13 individuals m<sup>−2</sup> and 124.84 g m<sup>−2</sup>) and Pa (77.87 individuals m<sup>−2</sup> and 31.82 g m<sup>−2</sup>). Both the density and biomass of earthworms increased from Pa to MEF (Pa < SP < MEF). This study is novel because it revealed that the diversity and productivity (biomass and abundance) values of earthworms were negatively correlated (as diversity increased, productivity decreased; as diversity decreased, productivity increased). The total values of abundance and biomass of earthworms in the three land use systems indicated perfect synchrony between aboveground and belowground habitats, whereas the diversity values revealed that MEF was dominated by one or two species and the least diversified. Therefore, for sustainable belowground productivity, aboveground conservation is recommended, and vice versa, regardless of diversity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:50:52Z |
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| language | English |
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| series | Soil Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad8ce850d5124687bbca122e5b3daf2e2023-11-24T18:03:10ZengMDPI AGSoil Systems2571-87892022-10-01647610.3390/soilsystems6040076Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, IndiaKasahun Gudeta0Ankeet Bhagat1Jatinder Mohan Julka2Sartaj Ahmad Bhat3Gopal Krishan Sharma4Getachew Bantihun5Ryszard Amarowicz6Merga Belina7School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan 173229, IndiaDepartment of Zoology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, IndiaSchool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan 173229, IndiaRiver Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, JapanSchool of Agricultural Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan 173229, IndiaDepartment of Applied Biology, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama 1888, EthiopiaInstitute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, 10-748 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Statistics, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1000, EthiopiaThe population status and biomass of earthworms were studied in three different land use systems of pasture (Pa), silvopasture (SP), and mixed evergreen forest (MEF) from 2019–2020 in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The aim of this study was to assess the population status of earthworms and investigate how different land use systems influence their abundance, diversity, and biomass. Earthworms and soil were sampled using the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility (TSBF) method in all seasons (winter, spring, summer, monsoon, and autumn). The physicochemical properties of the soil were analyzed to evaluate their effects on the diversity, biomass, and density of animals. The diversity status parameters, such as the Shannon diversity index (H′), Margalef richness index (R), evenness (J′), and dominance index (D), were computed. A total of seven earthworm species, belonging to four families, namely, <i>Amynthas</i> <i>corticis</i>, <i>Aporrectodea rosea</i>, <i>Drawida japonica</i>, <i>Eisenia fetida</i>, <i>Metaphire birmanica</i>, <i>Metaphire houlleti</i>, and <i>Lennogaster pusillus</i>, were identified from all three land use systems. The lowest Shannon diversity index (H′), Margalef index (R), and evenness (J′) index values were registered in MEF (H′ = 0.661, R = 0.762, J′ = 0.369) compared to those in Pa (H′ = 1.25, R = 1.165, J′ = 0.696) and SP (H′ = 0.99, R = 0.883, J′ = 0.552), implying that MEF is the least diversified land system. In contrast, the highest dominance index (D) value was registered in MEF (Pa = 0.39, SP = 0.53, MEF = 0.67), which again showed that MEF is the least diversified land system. The highest values of abundance and biomass were recorded in MEF (754.15 individuals m<sup>−2</sup> and 156.02 g m<sup>−2</sup>), followed by SP (306.13 individuals m<sup>−2</sup> and 124.84 g m<sup>−2</sup>) and Pa (77.87 individuals m<sup>−2</sup> and 31.82 g m<sup>−2</sup>). Both the density and biomass of earthworms increased from Pa to MEF (Pa < SP < MEF). This study is novel because it revealed that the diversity and productivity (biomass and abundance) values of earthworms were negatively correlated (as diversity increased, productivity decreased; as diversity decreased, productivity increased). The total values of abundance and biomass of earthworms in the three land use systems indicated perfect synchrony between aboveground and belowground habitats, whereas the diversity values revealed that MEF was dominated by one or two species and the least diversified. Therefore, for sustainable belowground productivity, aboveground conservation is recommended, and vice versa, regardless of diversity.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/6/4/76biomassdensitydiversityearthwormsmixed evergreen forestpasture |
| spellingShingle | Kasahun Gudeta Ankeet Bhagat Jatinder Mohan Julka Sartaj Ahmad Bhat Gopal Krishan Sharma Getachew Bantihun Ryszard Amarowicz Merga Belina Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, India Soil Systems biomass density diversity earthworms mixed evergreen forest pasture |
| title | Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, India |
| title_full | Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, India |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, India |
| title_short | Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, India |
| title_sort | impact of aboveground vegetation on abundance diversity and biomass of earthworms in selected land use systems as a model of synchrony between aboveground and belowground habitats in mid himalaya india |
| topic | biomass density diversity earthworms mixed evergreen forest pasture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/6/4/76 |
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