ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effects of Irrigation and Organic Mulching
on the Abundance and Biomass of Earthworms
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1
Institute of Crop Production Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
2
Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
3
Institute of Economics, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
Submission date: 2021-08-12
Final revision date: 2021-10-06
Acceptance date: 2021-10-21
Online publication date: 2022-03-23
Publication date: 2022-05-05
Corresponding author
Barbara Simon
Department of Soil Science, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter K., H-2100, Gödöllő, Hungary
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(3):2811-2821
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ABSTRACT
Soil is an important medium of biomass production due to storing, transforming, and harmonizing
natural resources. This experimental site (Kungyalu, Central-East Hungary) on Chernozem soil was
examined based on: a) irrigation (linear – LI; drum irrigation – DI; no irrigation – NI); and b) mulching
(mulched – M; unmulched – U). The objective was to investigate the effect of irrigation and organic
mulching (wheat straw) on earthworm abundance, biomass and species composition. The earthworm
abundance and biomass under U (60.7 ind m-2, 16.8 g m-2) and M (68.1 ind m-2, 17.3 g m-2) were greater in
autumn compared to summer (U: 16.6 ind m-2, 3.14 g m-2; M: 29.9 ind m-2, 6.6 g m-2), but the difference
was only significant in summer. Significantly greater earthworm abundance and biomass were found
under NI in autumn (92.5 ind m-2, 23.9 g m-2). Five earthworm species were detected (Aporrectodea
caliginosa, Aporrectodea rosea, Aporrectodea georgii, Proctodrilus opisthoductus, Octolasion
lacteum), mostly juveniles. Soil mulching significantly increased earthworm abundance and biomass
in summer, while irrigation significantly decreased it.