Abstract

We built a map of the distribution of earthworm abundance in coniferous forests in the area affected by long-term emissions from the Middle Ural Copper Smelter. It is established that a “lumbricide desert” of about 65 km² without earthworms in the forest litter and soil mineral horizons has been formed near the smelter due to extremely high concentrations of heavy metals. However, we have also found that earthworms (only Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis) inhabit logs of the late stages of decomposition in this area. Their abundance is comparable to that in the soil of unpolluted (background) areas; single individuals (including cocoons) were also found in the soil directly under the logs. Gastropods, which are absent in standard soil samples in this area, were also recorded in these logs (five species). We suppose that the presence of such “survival microsites” may serve as a mechanism of recolonization of polluted areas by groups sensitive to pollution after the reduction of emissions, followed by a decrease in soil toxicity.

中文翻译：

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粗木屑作为污染区土壤大型动物的微生境

摘要

我们绘制了受乌拉尔中部铜冶炼厂长期排放影响的地区针叶林中worm丰度分布的地图。可以确定的是，由于极高的重金属浓度，在冶炼厂附近形成了一个约65 km ^2的无润滑剂沙漠，在森林凋落物和土壤矿物层中没有earth。但是，我们也发现了（（只有Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis）居住在该区域分解后期的记录中。它们的丰度可与无污染（背景）地区的土壤相比。在原木下面的土壤中也发现了一个人（包括茧）。这些原木（5种）中也记录了该地区标准土壤样品中不存在的腹足类动物。我们认为，这种“存活的微场所”的存在可能是减少排放后对污染敏感的群体重新定殖污染区域的一种机制，然后是土壤毒性的降低。