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Earthworm Assemblages and Edaphic Factors in Various Land-Use Systems in Koraput, Eastern Ghats of India

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Abstract

A survey of earthworm species was carried out from June to December 2019 in three different land-use systems (forests, agricultural lands and residential areas) at four different sites in the Koraput district of Odisha, India. Attempt has been made to study the available species in three land-use systems. The findings show six different species, Drawida willsi and Drawida calebi, Glyphidrilus tuberosus, Perionyx excavatus, Ocnerodrilus occidentalis and Octochaetona surensis, under five different families, Moniligastridae, Almidae, Megascolecidae, Ocnerodrilidae and Octochaetidae, respectively. Five of the six species reported were native, found in agriculture land-use system, D. willsi, D. calebi, G. tuberosus, P. excavatus and O. surensis excluding O. occidentalis. Major species were native indicating least habitat disturbance in the forests as well as agriculture habitats. Edaphic factors of soil showed different characteristics among sites in three land-use systems. The pH was found to be one of the limiting factors for earthworm abundance, whereas available Nitrogen was found to be responsible for species richness. Elevation was observed to be associated with both species richness and abundance. D. calebi showed significant negative correlation with temperature, available phosphorus and positively correlated with available nitrogen. P. excavatus showed significant positive correlation with elevation, available potassium and available phosphorus. O. occidentalis showed significant positive correlation with temperature. The agricultural land-use system provided a better ecological condition for earthworms compared to forest and residential areas, which may be due to sustainable traditional agriculture practices in the region along with presence of more favourable soil edaphic factors.

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Acknowledgements

We express our thanks to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi for the award of the Non-NET Fellowship in favour of the first author. We acknowledge our thanks to the Koraput Forest Division for field study related support. We also express our special thanks to the Editor and the Reviewers for their valuable suggestions in improving the manuscript.

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Funding support to the first author (Reference No: CUO/ACA/NNFPHD/135) was by UGC, New Delhi.

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  1. Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources, Central University of Odisha, Koraput, Odisha, 764021, India

    Ayusmita Naik, Anirban Mahata & Sharat Kumar Palita

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  1. Ayusmita Naik
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  2. Anirban Mahata
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  3. Sharat Kumar Palita
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Correspondence to Sharat Kumar Palita.

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Significance statement: The study reports on earthworm diversity and soil edaphic factors in Koraput District of Eastern Ghats. Agricultural land-use system provided a better ecological condition, possibly due to sustainable traditional agriculture practices in the region.

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Naik, A., Mahata, A. & Palita, S.K. Earthworm Assemblages and Edaphic Factors in Various Land-Use Systems in Koraput, Eastern Ghats of India. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 94, 321–330 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-023-01530-y

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