LUMBRICIDAE SPECIES COMPOSITION IN THE SOILS OF THE FOOTHILL BEYOND ILE ALATAU REGION

Abstract

This article discusses the species composition of earthworms in the soils of the beyond Ile Alatau region. The role of earthworms in the soil is quite large. First of all, it is worth noting their loosening and structuring activities. During the movement process, these soil invertebrates mix a huge number of small fractions of soil. The loosening activity promotes moisture and sufficient oxygen. The most important is the destructive activity and enrichment of soils with active substances, as enzymes. The study of lumbricides began from the time of Charles Darwin, and is still of great importance the essence of such invertebrates in zoology. Scientific researchers had been carried out over two years (2018-2020) during the active vegetation of plants on the soils of the highest point of the beyond Ile Alatau region - in the peak of Talgar. As a result of the conducted research, the following earthworm species from the Lumbricidae family were found: Octolasium lacteum, Eisenia foetida, Eisenia nordenskioldi, Nicodrilus caliginosus, Nicodrilus longus, Lumbricus rubellus, Lumbricus terrestris, Dendrobaena octaedra. The most common species are Lumbricus rubellus and Nicodrilus caliginosus, and the rest are less common. In the seasonal dynamics of earthworm numbers, two peaks of activity were observed - in early June and at the end of August.