Publication details
The effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on terrestrial annelids in urban soils
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2008 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | 15th International Colloquium on Soil Zoology, August 25-29, 2008, Curitiba-Parana-Brazil, Positivo University, Biodiversity, Conservation and Sustainable Management of Soil Animals, Abstracts |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | soil fauna; Central Europe; parks; urban greens; soil contamination |
| Description | The effect of soil contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on earthworms and enchytraeids was studied in urban parks at Brno, Czech Republic. In spring and autumn 2007 annelids were collected and soil samples taken in lawns along transects at three different distances (1, 5 and 30 m) from streets with heavy traffic. At both occassions two parks with two transects in each of them were sampled. Earthworms were collected using the electrical octet method, enchytraeids were extracted by the wet funnel method from soil cores. All collected annelids were counted and identified. Basic chemical parameters and concentrations of 16 PAHs were analysed from soil from each sampling point. PAH concentrations were rather low, decreasing with the distance from the street in spring but not in autumn. Annelid densities did not significantly differ between distances, although there was a trend of increase with increasing distance in earthworms. There were no significant correlations between soil content of PAHs and earthworm or enchytraeid densities. Earthworm density and biomass were negatively correlated with soil pH, enchytraeid density positively correlated with soil phosphorus. |
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