Soil macrofauna communities in Brazilian land-use systems.

Background: Soil animal communities include more than 40 higher-order taxa, representing over 23% of all described species. These animals have a wide range of feeding sources and contribute to several important soil functions and ecosystem services. Although many studies have assessed macroinvertebrate communities in Brazil, few of them have been published in journals and even fewer have made the data openly available for consultation and further use. As part of ongoing efforts to synthesise the global soil macrofauna communities and to increase the amount of openly-accessible data in GBIF and other repositories related to soil biodiversity, the present paper provides links to 29 soil macroinvertebrate datasets covering 42 soil fauna taxa, collected in various land-use systems in Brazil. A total of 83,085 georeferenced occurrences of these taxa are presented, based on quantitative estimates performed using a standardised sampling method commonly adopted worldwide to collect soil macrofauna populations, i.e. the TSBF (Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Programme) protocol. This consists of digging soil monoliths of 25 x 25 cm area, with handsorting of the macroinvertebrates visible to the naked eye from the surface litter and from within the soil, typically in the upper 0-20 cm layer (but sometimes shallower, i.e. top 0-10 cm or deeper to 0-40 cm, depending on the site). The land-use systems included anthropogenic sites managed with agricultural systems (e.g. pastures, annual and perennial crops, agroforestry), as well as planted forests and native vegetation located mostly in the southern Brazilian State of Paraná (96 sites), with a few additional sites in the neighbouring states of São Paulo (21 sites) and Santa Catarina (five sites). Important metadata on soil properties, particularly soil chemical parameters (mainly pH, C, P, Ca, K, Mg, Al contents, exchangeable acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, Base Saturation and, infrequently, total N), particle size distribution (mainly % sand, silt and clay) and, infrequently, soil moisture and bulk density, as well as on human management practices (land use and vegetation cover) are provided. These data will be particularly useful for those interested in estimating land-use change impacts on soil biodiversity and its implications for below-ground foodwebs, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem service delivery. New information: Quantitative estimates are provided for 42 soil animal taxa, for two biodiversity hotspots: the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes. Data are provided at the individual monolith level, representing sampling events ranging from February 2001 up to September 2016 in 122 sampling sites and over 1800 samples, for a total of 83,085 ocurrences.

Distribution and diversity of earthworms in different land use systems in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

The southernmost state of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, includes both the Pampa and Atlantic Forest biomes, and covers an area of around 284 thousand km2. Since the last checklist for the state, published in 2012, many additional sites have been sampled. Hence, we provide here a full list of earthworm species and their distribution in different municipalities and land use systems in the state. Data were obtained from the literature, museums, and other earthworm collections and recent sampling efforts. Records for 19 additional species are reported here for the first time, raising the total to 78 species/subspecies currently known from Rio Grande do Sul, from the families Acanthodrilidae (5), Benhamiidae (3), Lumbricidae (13), Megascolecidae (11), Ocnerodrilidae (22), Almidae (2), Glossoscolecidae (18) and Rhinodrilidae (5). Alexidrilus Righi, 1971 is synonymized with Urobenus Benham, 1886, as both species in the genus (A. littoralis Ljungström, 1972 and A. lourdesae Righi, 1971) have similar morphology to the type species Urobenus brasiliensis Benham, 1886. Most of the native species/subspecies in the state (39), including an important number of new species, were found in native vegetation with lesser disturbance, such as swamps, native forests and pastures. On the other hand, the three peregrine and 27 exotic species (especially Pontoscolex corethrurus, Eukerria spp., lumbricids, megascolecids, Dichogaster spp., and Microscolex spp.) dominated in disturbed sites, such as compost piles, urban areas, rice and other crops, and cultivated pastures. Considering the geographic extension and the many unsampled sites in the state, further collection efforts are necessary and will certainly reveal new species, as evidenced here.

Earthworm richness in no-tillage farming systems and riparian forests in Southern and Southeastern Brazil.

No-tillage (NT) is a soil conservation management practice that can sustain important earthworm populations due the maintenance of soil cover and absence of soil disturbance. Sites with NT can also support native earthworm species, but few studies have identified the earthworms collected under NT. Therefore, the present study evaluated earthworm diversity in 14 sites under NT and seven with riparian forest (RF) in Atlantic Forest located in Rolândia, Cambé, Toledo (Paraná), Coxilha, Sarandi (Rio Grande do Sul) and Itaí (São Paulo). The earthworms were collected by handsorting using quantitative and qualitative methods. The 1471 individuals collected were classified into 23 species belonging to five families: Glossoscolex sp.71, sp.72, sp.73 and sp.74, Fimoscolex sp.23 sp.24 and sp.25 (Glossoscolecidae); Pontoscolex corethrurus, Urobenus brasiliensis (Rhinodrilidae); Haplodrilus sp.1 and sp.2, Ocnerodrilidae sp.1, sp.15, sp.16, sp.48, sp.49 and sp.50 (Ocnerodrilidae); Amynthas gracilis, Metaphire californica (Megascolecidae); Dichogaster affinis, D. gracilis, D. bolaui and D. saliens (Benhamiidae). Of the total, 15 were native and eight were exotic species. In general NT sites had higher species richness than the forest sites (except at Itaí), mainly due to the invasion of NT fields by exotic species, particularly Ocnerodrilidae sp.1 and Dichogaster spp. Six of the seven forests had native species, but only four NT fields had native earthworms, and these were generally found in low abundance.

Earthworm communities in long-term no-tillage systems and secondary forest fragments in Paraná, Southern Brazil.

The area destined for agricultural production in Paraná state in Brazil is ~6 million hectares, of which 79% are under no-tillage systems (NTS) that can positively affect earthworm populations. Furthermore, earthworm abundance and richness can be valuable soil quality. This study assessed earthworm communities in long-term no-tillage sites (NTS) and nearby secondary Atlantic Forest (SF) fragments. Sampling was performed in June 2018 and May 2019 using the quantitative Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility handsorting method (ISO-TSBF), complemented by qualitative sampling in three municipalities: Faxinal, Mauá da Serra and Palmeira, in NTS and SF. Eleven earthworm species, belonging to five families (Benhamiidae, Glossoscolecidae, Megascolecidae, Ocnerodrilidae, and Rhinodrilidae) were found along with seven native species (Glossoscolex sp.22, Glossoscolex sp.23, Fimoscolex sp.21, Fimoscolex sp.24, Fimoscolex sp.42, Andiorrhinus duseni and Urobenus brasiliensis) and four exotic or cosmopolitan species (Dichogaster gracilis, Amynthas gracilis, Metaphire californica and Pontoscolex corethrurus). The cosmopolitan P. corethrurus dominated Faxinal and Mauá da Serra, while in Palmeira Fimoscolex and Glossoscolex were the most abundant. Six species belonging to Glossoscolex and Fimoscolex were new to science and must be described. Overall, 239 individuals were found. In 2018 126 individuals were found (76 in NTS and 50 in SF) and in 2019, only 112 individuals were found (45 in NTS and 67 in SF). The highest earthworm abundance was in Faxinal (123 individuals), with 76 individuals in NTS and 47 in SF. In Mauá da Serra the same pattern was observed (SF>NTS), while in Palmeira in overall, fewer individuals (38) were collected (24 in NTS and 14 in SF). The NTS at Faxinal and SF Mauá da Serra in 2019 had only/more exotic/cosmopolitan species, while at the other dates and sites >50% of the specimens sampled were native species. Overall, forests had more native species than exotics: in 2018, natives represented > 75% of all specimens, but in 2019 both Faxinal and Mauá da Serra had more exotic species (> 65%), while at Palmeira, they represented 50% of the individuals. Earthworm total biomass for forest sites was higher in Faxinal (3.2 g) and NTS in Mauá da Serra (1.7 g) in 2019. Overall, the total biomass was higher in SF sites than NTS. Using a classification available for earthworm populations in no-tillage systems, all three sites were considered to have poor quality in terms of abundance (ind m-2), while for species richness, they were considered to have moderate (Faxinal and Mauá da Serra) and good quality (Palmeira).

Urban green areas as earthworm species maintainers in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.

Urban green areas can have a high impact on soil fauna due the environmental changes caused by human activities. This work aimed to assess earthworm populations in urban sites in the city of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Earthworms were sampled in two urban sites: the Campus Ecoville of the Universidade Positivo and the Casa Verde space and in two land use systems (Grass Lawn and Native Vegetation), in the summer of 2018 and 2019 and winter of 2019. A total of 1052 individuals were found, belonging to five families and 12 species were identified, of which five are native: Glossoscolex sp.55, Fimoscolex sp.36, Fimoscolex sp.37 (Glossoscolecidae), Andiorrhinus duseni (Rhinodrilidae) and Ocnerodrilidae sp.43 (Ocnerodrilidae) and seven are exotic species: Amynthas corticis, Amynthas morrisi, Metaphire californica, Metaphire schmardae (Megascolecidae), Dendrodrilus rubidus (Lumbricidae) and Pontoscolex corethrurus (Rhinodrilidae). Of the five native species found, four are new species and will be described in the future and the specie A. duseni belongs to the group known as giant earthworms (minhocuçu) with specimens larger than 30cm. Despite the predominance of exotic species (n=932) compared to native species (n=114), the presence of new species may indicate that the managed environments can preserve native species. Moreover, the difference in the total number (native vs. exotic) can be attributed to the ability of the exotic species to survive human disturbances.

Earthworm species in native and planted forests in Brazil.

Over 150 species of earthworms are known from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, but many more are expected to live in this megadiverse biome. In the present study, we evaluated earthworm species occurrence and diversity in native and reforested areas in four National Forests in three Brazilian states: Três Barras National Forest (Santa Catarina), Irati and Piraí do Sul National Forests (Paraná) and Capão Bonito National Forest (São Paulo) using formalin and hand sorting methods. A total of 13 species were found, five exotic and eight natives (of which four were new, undescribed species), belonging to six genera and five families (Rhinodrilidae, Glossoscolecidae, Ocnerodrilidae, Benhamiidae, Megascolecidae). In general, higher number of earthworms were collected in Araucaria plantations, except in Capão Bonito where Pinus sp. plantations had higher abundance. Hand sorting also collected more species in all forests, so this should be the preferred sampling method to evaluate earthworm communities. Formalin extraction was efficient only for epi-endogeic earthworms, most of them exotic species. Exotic pine species plantations tend to reduce species richness and abundance, compared with native forests and Araucaria plantations, and substitution of native vegetation for pine plantations should consider potential negative effects on soil animal populations.

Earthworm species in different land use systems in the state of Goiás and the Federal District of Brazil.

The state of Goiás and the Federal District together cover an area of about 346 thousand km2, including the diversified Cerrado vegetation, also known as the Brazilian Savanna, a biodiversity hotspot with many endangered and endemic species. Much of the Cerrado has been converted to agriculture, but little is known of its earthworms, and the impacts of land use management and agricultural practices on their density and diversity. In the present paper we review the known earthworm species in Goiás and the Federal District based on historical and museum records, and update information on their distribution and populations in different counties and land use systems with data from recent samplings. Five additional species are reported here for the first time, raising the total to 12 species currently known from Goiás, from the families Benhamiidae (1), Glossoscolecidae (1), Megascolecidae (3), Ocnerodrilidae (2) and Rhinodrilidae (5). In the Federal District, an additional 10 species are reported, bringing the total to 23 earthworm species, belonging to the families Benhamiidae (4), Eudrilidae (1), Glossoscolecidae (2), Ocnerodrilidae (1), Lumbricidae (2), Megascolecidae (1) and Rhinodrilidae (12). Native species in Goiás (6) were found in areas with lesser disturbance, such as in native forest and flooded areas/river banks, a phenomenon also observed in the Federal District. On the other hand, the exotic and peregrine species found in Goiás (6) and in the Federal District (9) dominated in disturbed sites, such as perennial crops, agroforestry, annual crops, urban areas, secondary forests, pastures and agropastoral systems, among others. Given the many new species found and the extension of Goiás and the Federal District, further effort is needed to adequately characterize the earthworm fauna of the region, from where many other species are expected.

Pesticides in a case study on no-tillage farming systems and surrounding forest patches in Brazil.

With the growing global concern on pesticide management, the relationship between its environmental recalcitrance, food security and human health has never been more relevant. Pesticides residues are known to cause significant environmental contamination. Here, we present a case study on long-term no-tillage farming systems in Brazil, where Glyphosate (GLY) has been applied for more than 35 years. GLY and its main breakdown product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) were determined in topsoil (0-10 cm) samples from no-tillage fields and nearby subtropical secondary forests by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a fluorescence detector. In addition, the presence of carbamates, organochlorines, organophosphates and triazines were also screened for. GLY and AMPA were present in all soil samples, reaching values higher than those described for soils so far in the literature. A significant decrease for AMPA was observed only between the secondary forest and the farm's middle slope for site B. GLY and AMPA were observed respectively at peak concentrations of 66.38 and 26.03 mg/kg soil. GLY was strongly associated with forest soil properties, while AMPA associated more with no-tillage soil properties. Soil texture was a significant factor contributing to discrimination of the results as clay and sand contents affect GLY and AMPA retention in soils. This was the first study to report DDT and metabolites in consolidated no-tillage soils in Brazil (a pesticide fully banned since 2009). Based on human risk assessment conducted herein and the potential risk of GLY to local soil communities, this study offers a baseline for future studies on potential adverse effects on soil biota, and mechanistic studies.

Earthworm species in various land use systems in the Campos Gerais region of Lapa, Paraná, Brazil.

The Campos Gerais region of Paraná are on an ancient plateau of sandstone origin and are covered with a diverse vegetation including mainly grasslands and various types of Atlantic Forest (particularly Araucaria forest). The region represents an important natural capital for biodiversity conservation as well as for agricultural and forestry production. However, little is known of the species richness and diversity of soil macroinvertebrates in this region. In the present study we evaluated earthworm species occurrence and richness in five land use systems (LUS) in the southern part of the Campos Gerais in Lapa county. Earthworms were handsorted from up to 18 soil monoliths on five occasions over three years (Feb. 2014, Feb., Mar., Nov. 2015, Jul. 2016) in the following LUS: old native forest, native grassland, young regenerating forest and grass lawn in the Uru Reserve and annual crop fields (soybean) in neighboring private farms (not all systems were sampled on all occasions). Nine earthworm species belonging to four families and five genera were found, of which six were native and three exotic species (Dichogaster gracilis, Amynthas gracilis, A. corticis). Of the native species, Urobenus brasiliensis and Andiorrhinus duseni (a large bodied-worm) are already well known from S and SE Brazil, while the remaining four were new species that require further description (Fimoscolex n.sp.1 and n.sp.2, Glossoscolex n.sp.1 and n.sp.2). In general, more species were found in February (summer) than March and November. The cropping system (soybean) had the lowest abundance and species richness in relation to other sites, although in the young and old forests no earthworms were found on some sample dates. Given the several new species found in this small reserve, and the relatively few sites studied thus far in the Campos Gerais, further efforts are needed to adequately characterize the earthworm fauna of the region, from which many other species are expected.