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Reshma Persaud

  • Biodiversity Journal, 17 (2): 105-112

    Reshma Persaud & Abdullah Adil Ansari
    Earthworm community structure in a mangrove forest of Guyana, South America
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2026.17.2.105.112

    ABSTRACT
    The mangrove ecosystems of the Guiana Shield are high stress environments characterized by elevated salinity and hypoxic soils. While these harsh conditions can lead to a unique environment that houses specialised biodiversity, the composition of the resident soil macrofauna is poorly documented. This study provides the first baseline assessment of earthworm communities in a coastal mangrove ecosystem of Guyana by establishing community composition and the underlying drivers of species presence and distribution. Furthermore, the first records of Eukerria saltensis and E. stagnalis within Guyana are provided, expanding the known geographical range of these littoral Oligochaetes. The results of this study indicate a specialized but stable community with a Shannon H’ of 1.28 and a Pielou’s E of 0.80. While the Berger-Parker d (0.42) showed moderate dominance of a single species, its presence did not exclude the other groups from occupying the same plots. A significant negative correlation was observed between a species of Acanthodrilidae and E. saltensis (Spearman’s ⍴ = 0.54, p = 0.039) demonstrating an L-shaped bivariate distribution pattern which provided evidence supporting competitive exclusion and niche partitioning. In contrast, Urobenus sp. and Martiodrilus sp. had a negligible presence within the soil ecosystem which further highlighted that the community was dominated by highly adapted specialists. These findings suggest that the structure of mangrove earthworm communities is driven by deterministic biotic interactions and environmental filters. The establishment of these first national records and community patterns creates a critical benchmark for the Guiana-Shield region.