Experimental research from the 1980s showed that tree species influenced soil development where stands of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) respectivey started to develop a podzolic soil and a brown forest soil after 50 years from near identical origins. Evidence of earthworms was reported but no detail provided. Current work re-examined these soils and a further adjacent spruce (Picea abies) plantation and specifically sampled for earthworms. Standard soil and litter measurements were made, and earthworms were collected by a combined digging and hand-sorting, plus vermifuge technique. The soil surface below lime was covered with Mercurialis perennis, but deep leaf litter was present below beech, with needle cover below spruce. Significantly more earthworms were present below lime, at a density of 29 m⁻², when compared with beech (<2 m⁻²) with spruce intermediate (11 m⁻²), with a significantly greater earthworm biomass below lime. Of 8 earthworm species collected, more than 70% were from below lime, including Aporrectodea longa, Lumbricus terrestris, A. caliginosa, Octolasion cyaneum and L. rubellus. Those below spruce were mainly Dendrobaena octaedra and only A. longa was found below beech. These observations, after 80 years of differential soil development below tree stands, clearly show continued interactive influences on soils of monoculture tree species with associated ecosystem engineering earthworms.

20 世纪 80 年代的实验研究表明，树种影响了土壤的发育，50 年后，山毛榉 ( Fagus sylvatica ) 和小叶椴树 ( Tilia cordata ) 分别开始形成灰化土壤和棕色森林土壤，其来源几乎相同。据报道有蚯蚓的证据，但没有提供详细信息。目前的工作重新检查了这些土壤和邻近的云杉（Picea abies）种植园，并专门对蚯蚓进行了采样。进行了标准土壤和垫料测量，并通过挖掘和手工分类相结合以及驱虫技术收集了蚯蚓。石灰下面的土壤表面覆盖着多年生汞，但山毛榉下方存在深层落叶层，云杉下方有针叶覆盖。与山毛榉（<2 m ^-2）和中间云杉（11 m ^-2 ）相比，石灰下方存在明显更多的蚯蚓，密度为29 m ^-2，石灰下方的蚯蚓生物量明显更高。采集的8种蚯蚓中，70%以上来自石灰下，包括Aporectodea longa、Lumbricus terrestris、A. caliginosa、Octolasioncyaneum和L. rubellus。云杉以下的主要是八叶石斛，只有龙加木是在山毛榉下面发现的。经过 80 年林下土壤差异化发展后的这些观察结果清楚地表明，单一栽培树种与相关生态系统工程蚯蚓对土壤的持续相互作用影响。