Earthworms (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae) near the township Dombay of Teberda Reserve (Northwest Caucasus, Karachay-Cherkessia)

A.P. Geraskina

Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS, 2016, 320(4): 450–466 · https://doi.org/10.31610/trudyzin/2016.320.4.450

Full text

Abstract

The population and characteristics of biotope distribution of earthworms near the township Dombay of the Teberda Reserve were studied. A mountain-forest belt, sparse growths of trees, elfin woodlands at the top edge of the forest, a sub-alpine meadow and lower mountain pastures were screened. Faunistic and quantitative surveys of earthworms were conducted in the soil and deadwood. The method of excavation and manual disassembly of soil samples was used in soil research. In the study of deadwood, trunks of Fagus orientalis and Picea orientalis of the 2nd and 3rd stages of decomposition were examined manually. Quantitative values were calculated per unit area (1 m²) and unit volume (1 m³). Twelve species of Lumbricidae were described in total. The Crimean-Caucasian endemic polymorphic species Dendrobaena shmidti, represented here by an unpigmented endogeic form, has the greatest abundance, biomass and widespread distribution. The highest species richness of Lumbricidae is in the mountainforest belt, which is inhabited by representatives of four morpho-ecological groups: epigeic, epi-endogeic, endogeic and anecic species. Forest communities are inhabited by 4–9 earthworm species. The lowest species diversity and abundance were observed in the sparse growths of trees, elfin woodlands at the top edge of the forest and the subalpine meadow. The highest abundance and biomass were observed on pasture. The endogeic earthworms were a dominant group in all communities. A high proportion of epigeic species in all forest communities was noted only for deadwood. The epi-endogeic group is represented primarily by Lumbricus rubellus, the abundance of which is particularly high in the pasture. The epi-endogeic species Eisenia fetida was found only in deadwood. The only anecic species, L. terrestris, was encountered in two forest communities and in a garden of Dombay. Small epigeic species Dendrobaena octaedra, Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis and Dendrobaena attemsi play the main role in deadwood decomposition; deadwood serves as the main habitat for these species in spring and summer. Deadwood is an additional habitat for large-sized endogeic and epi-endogeic species; mature and juvenile worms live here in the litter and moss cover, the rotting wood is penetrated only by juveniles of large-sized species.

Key words

deadwood, forest belt, Lumbricidae, pasture, soil, distribution, sparse growth of tree, subalpine meadow, fauna, ecology

Submitted May 8, 2016 · Accepted November 3, 2016 · Published December 25, 2016

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