The Role of Earthworms to CO2 Concentration in Various Land-Uses

Abstract

This research aims to study the influence of earthworms to the CO₂ concentration in various land-uses. As more forest areas are converted into plantation area, more closed ecosystems also shift to open ecosystems. The shifting has allegedly caused earthworms’ population density to decrease and, consequently, influenced the CO₂ concentration. This research selects six areas as the location of the research including forest area, complex agroforestry area, simple agroforestry area, teak forests, teak-acacia forests and groundnut plantation area in Gondangrejo, Central Java, Indonesia. The earthworm’s inventory is gathered with monolith method. On the 20^th day of measurement, CO₂ from fume hoods prepared for the research is collected. This research finds that the type of land-use influences significantly to earthworms’ population density and to CO₂ concentration. The research finds that earthworms can reduce CO₂ concentration in forest area, complex agroforestry area, simple agroforestry area, teak forests and teak-acacia forests. Earthworms, on the other hand, increase CO₂ concentration in groundnut plantation area. This research, therefore, concludes that earthworms’ density and soil’s humidity contribute to the animals’ role in impacting CO₂ concentration of a certain area.

Keywords: earthworm population density, land-use, CO₂ concentration