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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 6037

J.A. Springett; Distribution of Lumbricid earthworms in New Zealand. Soil Biol.Biochem. 24(12):1377-1381, 1992

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216 farms throughout New Zealand were surveyed for lumbricid earthworms in 1984 or 1985. The species diversity of the lumbricid fauna varied in relation to the length of time since settlement by Europeans and to the type of agricultural enterprise. In the north of the North Island over 50% of farms had three species or more of lumbricid earthworms, in the south of the South lsland over 70% of farms had two species or less. More detailed work over an 8 yr period, on population densities of earthworms on areas with different cultivation histories, indicates that earthworm populations are reduced by cultivation.