The Diversification and Intensification of Crop Rotations under No-Till Promote Earthworm Abundance and Biomass

Abstract

The diversification and intensification of crop rotations (DICR) in no-till systems is a novel approach that aims to increase crop production, together with decreasing environmental impact. Our objective was to analyze the effect of different levels of DICR on the abundance, biomass, and species composition of earthworm communities in Argentinean Pampas. We studied three levels of DICR—typical rotation (TY), high intensification with grass (HG), and with legume (HL); along with three references—natural grassland (NG), pasture (PA), and an agricultural external reference (ER). The NG had the highest earthworm abundance. Among the DICR treatments, abundance and biomass were higher in HL than in HG and, in both, these were higher than in TY. The NG and PA had a distinctive taxonomic composition and higher species richness. Instead, the DICR treatments had a similar richness and species composition. Earthworm abundance and biomass were positively related to rotation intensity and legume proportion indices, carbon input, and particulate organic matter content. The application of DICR for four years, mainly with legumes, favors the development of earthworm populations. This means that a subtle change in management, as DICR, can have a positive impact on earthworms, and thus on earthworm-mediated ecosystem services, which are important for crop production.