The effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals on terrestrial annelids in urban soils

The effect of soil contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals on earthworms and enchytraeids was studied in urban parks, in Brno, Czech Republic. In spring and autumn 2007, annelids were collected and soil samples taken in lawns along transects, at three different distances (1, 5 and 30 m) from streets with heavy traffic. In both seasons, two parks with two transects each were sampled. Earthworms were collected using the electrical octet method. Enchytraeids were extracted by the wet funnel method from soil cores. All collected annelids were counted and identified. Basic chemical parameters and concentrations of 16 PAH, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were analysed from soil from each sampling point. PAH concentrations were rather low, decreasing with the distance from the street in spring but not in autumn. Heavy metal concentrations did not decrease significantly with increasing distance. Annelid densities did not significantly differ between distances, although there was a trend of increase in the number of earthworms with increasing distance. There were no significant correlations between soil content of PAH or heavy metals and earthworm or enchytraeid densities. Earthworm density and biomass were negatively correlated with soil pH; and enchytraeid density was positively correlated with soil phosphorus. O efeito da contaminação do solo por hidrocarbonetos aromáticos policíclicos (PAH) e metais pesados em minhocas e enquitreídeos foi estudado em parques urbanos, em Brno, República Tcheca. Na primavera e outono de 2007, os anelídeos foram coletados, e amostras de solo foram retiradas de gramados ao longo de transectos, em três diferentes distâncias (1, 5 e 30 m) de ruas com muito tráfego. Nas duas estações, foram amostrados dois parques com dois transectos cada um. As minhocas com uso do método do octeto elétrico, e os enquitreídeos foram extraídos das amostras de solo pelo método do funil úmido. Todos os anelídeos coletados foram contados e identificados. Parâmetros químicos básicos e concentrações de 16 PAHs, Cd, Cu, Pb e Zn, de cada ponto de amostragem, foram analisados. As concentrações de PAH foram relativamente baixas, e decresceram na primavera, mas não no outono, com a distância da rua. As concentrações de metais pesados não diminuíram significativamente com o aumento da distância. As densidades de anelídeos não diferiram significativamente entre as distâncias, mas houve tendência de aumento no número de minhocas, com o aumento d