SoildiverAgro has published a new scientific article titled “Farming Systems and Climate Gradients: Understanding the Impact on Earthworm Communities in European Agricultural Soils“. The study, recently published in Ecological Applications (2024), provides valuable insights into how farming systems influence earthworm communities across diverse climatic gradients in Europe.
Conducted across nine pedo-climatic zones—from the Mediterranean to Boreal regions—the research investigates the effects of both conventional and organic farming on earthworm communities in wheat fields. The study also explores how climate conditions, soil properties, and field management practices affect earthworms’ exposure to varying environmental factors.
This study highlights the important role that climate plays in shaping earthworm communities and suggests that the current continent-wide warming in Europe, along with increased droughts, may degrade the conditions necessary for these vital soil organisms. The findings stress the urgent need to consider climate adaptation strategies for maintaining soil biodiversity in the face of ongoing environmental changes.
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