Figure 1.
Overview of earthworm species found in all Austrian earthworm studies since 2000, listed per land use type_ Total number of studies including species-specific information = 13_ Outdated species nomenclature was updated whenever necessary according to Csuzdi (2012)_ Tabelle 1_ Übersicht über die Regenwurmarten, die in allen österreichischen Regenwurmstudien seit 2000 gefunden wurden, gelistet für den jeweiligen Landnutzungstyp_ Die Gesamtanzahl der Studien, die Informationen auf Artniveau enthalten = 13_ Veraltete Artnamen wurden anhand von Csuzdi (2012) aktualisiert_
| Earthworm species | Arable land (n = 5) | Grassland (n = 6) | Vineyard (n = 1) | Forest (n = 1) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allolobophora chlorotica | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | Buchholz et al., 2017; Euteneuer and Butt, 2025; Euteneuer et al., 2024; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Simon et al., 2025 |
| Allolobophora georgii | - | 1 | - | - | Kerschbaumer et al., 2024 |
| Aporrectodea caliginosa | 5 | 3 | 1 | - | Buchholz et al., 2017; Euteneuer and Butt, 2025; Euteneuer et al., 2020; Euteneuer et al., 2024; Geitner et al., 2014; Jernej et al., 2019; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001; Simon et al., 2025 |
| Aporrectodea handlirschi | - | 1 | - | - | Geitner et al., 2014 |
| Aporrectodea longa | 1 | 1 | - | - | Euteneuer and Butt, 2025; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024 |
| Aporrectodea rosea | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | Behringer et al., 2025; Buchholz et al., 2017; Euteneuer and Butt, 2025; Euteneuer et al., 2020; Euteneuer et al., 2024; Geitner et al., 2014; Jernej et al., 2019; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001; Seeber et al., 2005; Simon et al., 2025 |
| Aporrectodea smaragdina | - | 1 | - | - | Geitner et al., 2014 |
| Bimastos rubidus | - | 1 | - | 1 | Behringer et al., 2025; Geitner et al., 2014 |
| Dendrobaena depressa | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | Behringer et al., 2025; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001 |
| Dendrobaena octaedra | - | 5 | - | - | Geitner et al., 2014; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Seeber et al., 2005; Steinwandter et al., 2017; Steinwandter et al., 2018 |
| Dendrobaena platyura | 1 | - | - | - | Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001 |
| Eiseniella tetraedra | - | 1 | - | - | Geitner et al., 2014 |
| Lumbricus castaneus | - | 3 | - | - | Geitner et al., 2014; Jernej et al., 2019; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024 |
| Lumbricus polyphemus | 1 | 2 | - | - | Jernej et al., 2019; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001 |
| Lumbricus rubellus | 2 | 6 | 1 | - | Behringer et al., 2025; Euteneuer and Butt, 2025; Geitner et al., 2014; Jernej et al., 2019; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001; Seeber et al., 2005; Steinwandter et al., 2017; Steinwandter et al., 2018 |
| Lumbricus terrestris | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | Buchholz et al., 2017; Euteneuer and Butt, 2025; Euteneuer et al., 2024; Geitner et al., 2014; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Simon et al., 2025 |
| Octodrilus argoviensis | - | 1 | - | - | Geitner et al., 2014 |
| Octolasion cyaneum | 1 | 2 | - | - | Euteneuer and Butt, 2025; Jernej et al., 2019; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024 |
| Octolasion lacteum | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | Behringer et al., 2025; Buchholz et al., 2017; Geitner et al., 2014; Jernej et al., 2019; Kerschbaumer et al., 2024; Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001; Seeber et al., 2005; Steinwandter et al., 2017; Steinwandter et al., 2018 |
| Proctodrilus antipai | - | - | - | 1 | Buchholz et al., 2017 |
| Proctodrilus tuberculatus | 1 | - | - | - | Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001 |
Overview of studies investigating different environmental and management patterns in grasslands_ A = abundance, B = biomass, S = species richness, N/A = not available, n_ s_ = no significant differences reported, ↑ = positive effect/relationship, ↓ = negative effect/relationship_ Tabelle 3_ Übersicht über Studien zu verschiedenen Umwelt- und Managementeinflüssen im Grünland_ A = Abundanz, B = Biomasse, S = Artenzahl_ N/A = Information nicht vorhanden, n_ s_ = keine statistisch signifikanten Unterschiede berichtet, ↑ = positiver Effekt/Zusammenhang, ↓ = negativer Effekt/Zusammenhang_
| Study | Type | Comparison | Response | Significance | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerschbaumer et al., 2024 | Lowland grassland | Mowing frequency | A, B, S | n. s. | |
| Vegetation types (dry, fresh, moist) | B, S | p < 0.05 | ↓ Moist meadow | ||
| Jernej et al., 2019 | Montane grassland | Mowing versus abandonment | A | p < 0.1 | ↓ Abandoned |
| Vegetation characteristics | A | n. s. | |||
| Steinwandter et al., 2017 | Alpine grassland | Mowing versus pasturing | A | p < 0.01 | ↓ Pasture |
| Managing versus abandonment | A | n. s. | |||
| Seeber et al., 2005 | Alpine grassland | Mowing versus pasturing, managing versus abandonment | A, | p < 0.01 | ↑ Managed and abandoned meadows, abandoned pasture |
| B | n. s. | ↓ Managed pasture | |||
| Geitner et al., 2014 | Alpine grassland | Mowing versus pasturing | A, | n. s., | |
| B | n. s. | ||||
| Site characteristics | A (endogeic, epigeic, hemiedaphic groups) | Several significant ones | ↑ Humus, pH, parent rock, altitude | ||
| ↓ Thickness litter layer | |||||
| Steinwandter et al., 2018 | Alpine grassland | Grazing intensity (sheep) | A | N/A | Tendency: highest A at medium grazing intensity, lowest A at high grazing intensity |
Overview of studies investigating different environmental and management patterns in arable soils_ A = abundance, B = biomass, S = species richness, N/A = not available, n_ s_ = no significant differences reported_ Tabelle 2_ Übersicht über Studien zu verschiedenen Umwelt- und Managementeinflüssen in Ackerböden_ A = Abundanz, B = Biomasse, S = Artenzahl, N/A = Information nicht vorhanden, n_ s_ = keine statistisch signifikanten Unterschiede berichtet_
| Study | Comparison | Response | Significance | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon et al., 2025 | No-tillage cultivation, plough | A, | p < 0.001, | High tillage intensity decreases all tested earthworm parameters |
| Euteneuer and Butt, 2025 | Conservation, conventional | A, | p < 0.05, | Conservational land use positively impacts earthworms in terms of all three tested parameters |
| Rampazzo and Mentler, 2001 | Undisturbed non-agricultural land, conventional tillage | A, | N/A | |
| Euteneuer et al., 2024 | Plough, cultivation, no-till | A, | p = 0.006, | No-till increases B and A |
| Jeanneret et al., 2021 | European study that includes Austria. Organic farming, conventional farming | S | n. s. | |
| Euteneuer et al., 2020 | Different cover crops, irrigation versus rainfed, different seasons | A, | p < 0.01, | Under rainfed conditions, higher earthworm A in bare fallow compared to black oat and Sudan grass |
| Euteneuer et al., 2019 | Cover crops, sclerotia, different seasons | A, | p = 0.007, | Higher A under oil seed compared to bare fallow and oat. |
| Spiegel et al., 2018 | Organic fertilisation, organic–mineral fertilisation, mineral fertilisation, control | A, | n. s., | |
| Schneider et al., 2014 | European study that includes Austria. Organic farming, conventional farming | A, | n. s., |
Overview of studies investigating environmental and management patterns in vineyards_ A = abundance, B = biomass, S = species richness, N/A = not available, n_ s_ = no significant differences reported, ↑ = positive effect/relationship, ↓ = negative effect/relationship_Tabelle 4_ Übersicht über Studien zu verschiedenen Umwelt- und Managementeinflüssen in Weingärten_ A = Abundanz, B = Biomasse, S = Artenzahl_ N/A = Information nicht vorhanden, n_ s_ = keine statistisch signifikanten Unterschiede gefunden, ↑ = positiver Effekt/Zusammenhang, ↓ = negativer Effekt/Zusammenhang_
| Study | Comparison | Response | Significance | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zaller et al., 2018 | Within rows: herbicides versus mechanical weeding | A, | n. s., | |
| Buchholz et al., 2017 | Inter-rows: permanent green cover versus tillage | A, | N/A | None |
| Site characteristics | A, | N/A | ↑ Soil quality and plant biomass | |
| Faber et al., 2017 | Inter-rows: different tillage methods | A, | n. s. |