Impact of Aboveground Vegetation on Abundance, Diversity, and Biomass of Earthworms in Selected Land Use Systems as a Model of Synchrony between Aboveground and Belowground Habitats in Mid-Himalaya, India

The population status and biomass of earthworms were studied in three different land use systems pasture (Pa), silvopasture (SP), mixed evergreen forest (MEF) from 2019–2020 the Solan district Himachal Pradesh, India. aim this study was to assess investigate how influence their abundance, diversity, biomass. Earthworms soil sampled using Tropical Soil Biology Fertility (TSBF) method all seasons (winter, spring, summer, monsoon, autumn). physicochemical properties analyzed evaluate effects on biomass, density animals. diversity parameters, such as Shannon index (H′), Margalef richness (R), evenness (J′), dominance (D), computed. A total seven earthworm species, belonging four families, namely, Amynthas corticis, Aporrectodea rosea, Drawida japonica, Eisenia fetida, Metaphire birmanica, houlleti, Lennogaster pusillus, identified systems. lowest (J′) values registered MEF (H′ = 0.661, R 0.762, J′ 0.369) compared those Pa 1.25, 1.165, 0.696) SP 0.99, 0.883, 0.552), implying that is least diversified system. In contrast, highest (D) value (Pa 0.39, 0.53, 0.67), which again showed abundance recorded (754.15 individuals m−2 156.02 g m−2), followed by (306.13 124.84 m−2) (77.87 31.82 m−2). Both increased < MEF). This novel because it revealed productivity (biomass abundance) negatively correlated (as increased, decreased; decreased, increased). indicated perfect synchrony between aboveground belowground habitats, whereas dominated one or two species diversified. Therefore, for sustainable productivity, conservation recommended, vice versa, regardless diversity.