Earthworm Population and Community Structure with Reference to Soil Ecological Parameters from Different Agroecosystem in Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Earthworms are fundamental to the dynamics of our ecosystems. The six speciesof earthworms(Pondoscolexcorethrurus(Muller, 1856), Perionyx ceylanensis(Michaelsen, 1904), Perionyx excavates (Perrier, 1872), Lambitomauritti (Kinberg, 1867), Amynthasgracilis (Kinberg, 1867) andDrawidawillsi (Michaelsen, 1907)) belonging tothreefamilies(Glossoscolecidae, Megascolecidae, Moniligastridae), five Genera (Pondoscolex, Perionyx, Lambito, Amynthas, Drawida) and three orders (Opisthopora, Heplotaxida, Moniligastrida) were identified from the study site in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India.Selected two types of cultivated lands in present study: Wet Lands (Paddy, Banana, Sugarcane), Dry Lands (Coconut, Groundnut, Oil palm).Totally six species find in the study sites, two species (Perionyx excavates, Perionyx ceylanensis) were epigeic category, one species (Pondoscolexcorethrurus) were endogeic category, one species (Lambitomauritti) anecic category, one species (Amynthasgracilis) were epiendogeicand last one species (Drawidawillsi) were epianecic category.The wet land cultivable fieldshave three types of earthworm category (epigeic, endogeic, epianecic) and cultivable dry land fields have two types of earthworm category (anecic and epiendogeic).The statistical analysis of data was also performed by usingANOVA software and different types of soil ecological parameters(pH, moisture, temperature, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, C:N ratio, microbial activity, earthworm density, earthworm biomass, relative density, frequency, richness index, diversity index, dominance index, evenness index, Lm/Oratio^a, Pe/O ratio^b).