Open AccessEffects of lime and artificial acid rain on the enchytraeid (Oligochaeta) fauna in coniferous forest
Author(s) -
Abrahamsen Gunnar
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
ecography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.973
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1600-0587
pISSN - 0906-7590
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0587.1983.tb01088.x
Subject(s) - lime , fauna , acid rain , enchytraeidae , population , soil biology , ecology , abundance (ecology) , oligochaeta (plant) , earthworm , environmental science , environmental chemistry , biology , chemistry , soil water , paleontology , demography , sociology
Effects of lime and artificial rain of varying acidity on the enchytraeid fauna were studied in 4 field experiments in coniferous forest. Artificial rain was applied 5 months per year in quantities of 25 or 50 mm per month and with pH values from about 6 to 2. The “rain” was produced by mixing groundwater and sulphuric acid. The greatest total abundance of enchytraeids and the greatest population densities of Cognettia sphagnetorum and Mesenchytraeus pelicensis were found in plots supplied “rain” of pH 6, pH 4 and pH 3. Their abundances were lowered by additional acidification (pH 2.5 and 2) and also by liming. Species like Enchytronia parva and especially Enchytraeus buchholzi and Fredericia parnoniana were mostly stimulated by liming.