Contrasting effects of cover crops on earthworms: Results from field monitoring and laboratory experiments on growth, reproduction and food choice

Abstract

Cover crops are an essential element of sustainable agriculture and can affect earthworm populations. In a field trial, we investigated the effects of four cover crop treatments: radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus B.; at high and low seed density), black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.) and Sudan grass (Sorghum sudanese M.) on earthworms under two irrigation regimes. The two parallel field trials (irrigated and rainfed) demonstrated the significance of soil moisture for earthworm abundance with lower numbers under rainfed black oat and Sudan grass compared with moister bare fallow in autumn (P < 0.05). Soil moisture content changed from autumn to spring and was highest under Sudan grass in both irrigation regimes (P < 0.05). Earthworm numbers equalised and were then similar in all treatments, but under rainfed cover crop treatments, earthworm populations gained 62.3 g g−1 in biomass from autumn to the following spring (P < 0.05). Laboratory experiments showed the importance of N content and more palatability of low C:N ratio radish for growth rate of juvenile Aporrectodea longa and cocoon production by Aporrectodea caliginosa. These two earthworm species showed a different preference in choice chamber experiments between roots and shoots. Radish was consumed first in three out of four experiments. Field and laboratory experiments highlighted the effects of cover crops on earthworm abundance, reproduction and development. Overall, our results showed that cover crops can support earthworm development, but under field conditions, soil moisture is more important. In the short-term, this can lead to a trade-off between plant biomass production and earthworm numbers.