Abstract

One of the fundamental recommendations for sustainable agricultural practices is protecting soil biodiversity by increasing the use of organic fertilizers and substrates. According to EU regulations, certain animal by-products (including horn shavings) may be used as crop fertilizers; however, insufficient information is available on the impact of this fertilizer substrate on the soil environment. This study was conducted to determine the effects of annual soil application of horn shavings on selected characteristics of Lumbricidae communities and physicochemical properties of the soil. Experimental plots had the following treatments of cattle horn shavings (CHS): CHS100 (100%; 1.3 t·ha−1; equivalent to 161 kg N/ha), CHS75 (75%; 0.98 t·ha−1), CHS50 (50%; 0.65 t·ha−1), and SL (control without fertilization). After 2 years of application, an electrical method was used to collect earthworms over the following 3 years. Earthworms found belonged to five species representing three ecological groups: Dendrobaena octaedra, Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis, Lumbricus rubellus, Aporrectodea caliginosa, and Lumbricus terrestris. Significantly higher values of earthworm metrics were demonstrated between the plot with the highest fertilization (CHS100) and the plots with lower horn shavings additions (abundance: CHS100 > CHS75 and CHS50 by a mean of 43.2%; biomass: CHS100 > CHS75 and CHS50 by a mean of 43%). Species richness was not affected but an increase in CHS application led to a greater biodiversity index. CHS treatments affected selected soil parameters to varying degrees, with soil moisture having the greatest influence on the given earthworm traits. Cattle horn shavings used as a fertilizer are a positive promoter of earthworms in soils and further research in this area may be warranted.