Earthworm communities in organic and conventional coffee cultivation

Marie Luise Carolina Bartz,Julie Dorioz,George Gardner Brown,Pierre Curmi,Ricardo Ralisch,Amarildo Pasini,Juliana De Oliveira Fernandes

doi:10.1590/s0100-204x2009000800019

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of organic and conventional coffee crops on biomass, population density and diversity of earthworms, in Lerroville, district of Londrina County, Paraná state, Brazil. Earthworm communities were sampled in three areas with organic coffee cultivation (CO1, CO2 and CO3), two with conventional coffee (CC1 and CC2), and a native forest fragment (MT). The soil of the areas CO1, CC1, and MT was classified as Nitossolo Vermelho (Rhodic Kandiudox), while CO2, CO3, and CC2 were on Latossolo Vermelho (Rhodic Hapludox). Eight samples were taken in each area on two occasions, winter and summer, using the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility (TSBF) method in the 0-20 cm soil layer. The earthworms were handsorted and preserved in 4% formaldehyde, and were later weighed, counted and identified. The highest earthworm biomass, both in winter and summer, occurred in the CO3 area. For population density, the higher numbers of individuals were found in CO1 and CO3. The highest number of species was identified in the organic cultivation. The adoption of organic practices in coffee cultivation favored the diversity, density and biomass of earthworm communities.

Highlights

Organic production is based on agroecological and natural resource conservation principles, in which biodiversity is a key component
The aim of this work was to evaluate earthworm biomass, population density and diversity, in organic and conventional coffee cultivation, and to compare these with data collected from a forest, used as a reference for native vegetation
Earthworm biomass was significantly higher in CO1 and CO3 (2.18 and 5.39 g m-2, respectively) in July 2007 (Table 3)

Summary

Introduction

Organic production is based on agroecological and natural resource conservation principles, in which biodiversity is a key component. This type of soil management should guarantee continuous supply of organic matter, stimulating the living fractions and favoring fundamental biological processes that maintain and enhance soil fertility (Ricci & Neves, 2006). The diversity and abundance of soil animals are altered mainly by physical disturbance in the environment and by the. Intensification of agricultural production, with the use of tillage, fertilization, irrigation and pesticides, can affect soil fauna populations both directly and indirectly, by altering the suitability of the soil environment. Practices normally associated with low addition of external, inorganic agricultural inputs foster the diversity and abundance of earthworms (El Titi & Ipach, 1989; Paoletti, 1999)

Objectives

Methods

Results