The role of habitat heterogeneity in the relationships between soil properties and earthworm assemblages: A case study in Pomerania (Northern Poland)

The vastness of the research on earthworm assemblages in agricultural lands focus on the comparison of agricultural treatments of different intensity. Consequently, spatial complexity of the landscape is less emphasised. Our study addresses this knowledge gap. The field study taken in West Pomeranian Lake District in Poland during four campaigns (spring and autumn) revealed that the mosaic of fields (MF) supported higher earthworm abundance than the similarly managed but homogeneous field (HF). Number and biomass of earthworm individuals both reflect the relationships with electrical conductivity, pH and in some situations also soil organic carbon and soil moisture effectively. We argue that autumn sampling is more preferable for biomonitoring.