Regenwurmpopulationen in ackerbaulich ge-nutzten Flachen und deren Randbereichen. I.Ostliches Harzvorland

This paper studied earthworm populations in fields under practical cultivation in the Eastern Harzforeland (Germany). The examined sites differed insignificantly in their climatic and soil conditions. The examination was a comparison between a field and a narrow edge or meadow. A combination of Oktett method and handsortin was used. The five different habitates seven earthworm species were discoverd. The most frequently foundd were A. rosea, A. caliginosa, and A. chlorotica. There were clear differences in species between the habitates of each site. Generally the edge or the meadow contained one (Zoeberitz) or two (Zscherben) more species than the field. The composition of species differed between 1990 and 1992. In the dry Autumn of 1991 there were less species found at both sites. The occurance of earthworm species depends on the weather. Moisture influencing similiarity of abundance and bio-mass were recorded in three out of four habitates. Starting on a high level in Autumn 1990 the abundance as well as biomass decreased until Autumn 1991 and increased the following year. The number from 1990 were never reached again during the examination. One year of normal precipita-tion was not enough to return the population to the beginning level. Great differences in the number of earthworms between the compared habitats suggest that the edges and meadows are a potential immigration source into a field which is poor on earthworms. Structrues of distribution near the edge refer to a migration from a high populated edge into an almost empty field.