Lumbricoid Fauna of Cryosolic Soils of Yakutia

Main functioning patterns of earthworms Eisenia nordenskioldi, (Eisen, 1879) that inhabits various cryosolic soils of tundra, taiga, alas and flood and meadow land ecosystems of Yakutia are revealed in the work. For the first time abundance and biotopical distribution of earthworms in different nature and climate zones of Yakutia have been studied. Ecological profile across Lena River has been set. Automorphic (native shore), semihydromorphic (slope) and flood lands' soils (near terrain, central and near river bed parts of flood lands) were objects of research. Sides with radically different soils and vegetation were selected as points of observation of earthworms, starting from the most dry habitats with weak spoils to well wetted, fertile and further to overwetted places. The most important indicators of soils that affect life of earthworms are granulometric composition, moisture and soil temperature, рН, annual deep freezing of soil with long-term low temperatures, short vegetation period. Magnitude of the territory and related irregularity of natural conditions of researched region have caused uneven distribution of earthworms in cryosolic soils of Yakutia with the most dense population in places with regular patterns of wetting, temperature, food reserve, etc. Morphologic and ecological group of burrowing earthworms Eisenia nordenskioldi, (Eisen, 1879), that inhabit cryosolic soils of flood lands and watersheds of Yakutia should be viewed as indicator of soil covering integrity. Obtained materials show that earthworms Eisenia nordenskioldi (Eisen, 1879) may be used as biological indicator for evaluation of anthropogenic loads on biogeocenosis as well as for ecological monitoring organization.