Study

The effect of non-inversion tillage on earthworm and arthropod populations as potential food sources for farmland birds

  • Published source details Cunningham H.M., Chaney K., Wilcox A. & Bradbury R. (2002) The effect of non-inversion tillage on earthworm and arthropod populations as potential food sources for farmland birds. Aspects of Applied Biology, 67, 101-106.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Reduce tillage

Action Link
Farmland Conservation
  1. Reduce tillage

    A replicated, controlled study in the winters of 2000-2003 in 63 experimental and 58 control winter wheat and barley fields in Oxfordshire, Leicestershire and Shropshire, UK (Cunningham et al. 2002), found that significantly more beetle (Coleoptera) larvae and earthworms (Lumbricidae) were recorded in non-inversion tillage fields than in conventionally-tilled fields (no data given). The opposite was true for rove beetles (Staphylinidae). Ground beetles (Carabidae) and spiders (Araneae) showed no significant differences between treatments. This study was part of the same experimental set-up as (Cunningham 2004, Cunningham et al. 2005).

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