EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION ON THE COMMUNITY DYNAMICS OF EARTHWORMS IN RELATION TO SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL FACTORS IN AGRICULTURAL FIELDS (BELGIUM) ; Effets des pratiques agricoles et de la contamination métallique sur les communautés lombriciennes en relation avec les propriétés physiques et chimiques du sol, en contexte agricoles (Belgique)

We investigated the effect of different agricultural practices on the abundances, biomass, and species diversity of earthworms. Specifically, we aimed to identify the relationship between certain soil physico-chemical properties and earthworm communities in agricultural soils. Two tillage systems and crop residue management were investigated. After conducting the study over four years, we found that the abundance, biomass, and diversity of earthworms were negatively affected by tillage application and the removal of crop residues. All ecological groups were negatively affected by conventional... Mehr ...