Incidence de la déforestation sur les catégories écologiques des vers de terre dans le "Domaine et Réserve de Chasse" de Bombo-Lumene (Kinshasa)

Impact of deforestation on ecological categories of earthworms in the "Domaine et Réserve de Chasse" of Bombo-Lumene (Kinshasa). Earthworms improve soil productivity and contribute to sustainable functioning of all ecosystems where they can be found. The effect of different levels of degradation of the forest cover on the abundance and species diversity of earthworm populations was evaluated in the "domaine et réserve de chasse" of Bombo-Lumene. The results show a decrease in the average biomass of all ecological categories of earthworms with increasing degradation of forest cover. This degradation is also accompanied by a decrease of the relative frequency of epigeic earthworm populations of the investigated sites. Relations between earthworm fauna and soil fertility are discussed, particularly in the perspective of development of agroforestry systems