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Enchytraeid numbers, biomass and respiratory metabolism in a beech woodland - Wytham Woods, Oxford

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Summary

The mean annual population density of enchytraeids in the litter and upper 6 cm of soil was found to be 14,590 m-2. Mean individual weights approximated 116, 158 and 151 μg wet wt. in the litter, 0–3 cm and 3–6 cm strata respectively. The mean biomass was estimated to be 1.908 g wet wt m-2. Vertical migration was shown to occur, the upward migration in late Autumn was a response to temperatures in the litter being temporarily higher than those of the 0–3 cm stratum. As a result of upward vertical migration and possibly recruitment, numbers reached a maximum in the litter during Winter. On an annual basis the litter, 0–3 and 3–6 cm strata contained 41.43, 46.44 and 12.12% respectively of the extracted enchytraeids. The equivalent biomass values were 33.18, 52.46 and 14.36%. Total numbers and biomass revealed a general picture of high values in late Autumn to Winter which gradually decreased through Spring and Summer except for a minor peak in May–June. The annual oxygen consumption of the enchytraeids approximated 4.285 l O2 m-2 yr-1 (≡20.461 kcal≡85.610 kJ) and accounted for 1.63% of the total soil metabolism. A production/biomass (P/B) ratio of 4.93 was estimated as was a net population efficiency of 32%. For this site the contribution by enchytraeids to total soil respiration is about one-third that of the earthworms and an order of magnitude greater than that of the nematodes.

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Author notes

  1. R. Abel

    Present address: Central Water Planning Unit, Reading, U.K.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Ecology Research Group, Zoology Department, Oxford University, South Parks Road, OX1 3PS, Oxford, U.K.

    J. Phillipson, R. Abel, J. Steel & S. R. J. Woodell

  2. Botany School, Oxford University, South Parks Road, OX1 3PS, Oxford, U.K.

    J. Phillipson, R. Abel, J. Steel & S. R. J. Woodell

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  1. J. Phillipson
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  3. J. Steel
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  4. S. R. J. Woodell
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Phillipson, J., Abel, R., Steel, J. et al. Enchytraeid numbers, biomass and respiratory metabolism in a beech woodland - Wytham Woods, Oxford. Oecologia 43, 173–193 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00344769

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