In temperate grassland, earthworms contribute to the major soil processes which determine most of the ecosystem services. The characteristics of plant communities in grassland are key factors in maintaining earthworm communities, however effects of different herbage management on earthworms remain largely unknown. In this context, the aim of the present study was to determine the long-term effects of herbage management on grassland plant and earthworm communities. Plants and earthworms were sampled in a 14-years-old experiment in upland grasslands (Massif central, France). Abandoned grasslands were compared with mowed grasslands and with pastures grazed by cattle (at low or high intensities) or grazed by sheep (at low intensity). Compared to abandoned grassland, herbage management by grazing or by mowing display higher leguminous plant, community-weighted mean Ellenberg light values as well as plant richness while they display lower percentage of plant litter and community-weighted mean Ellenberg nitrogen values. The differences in plant richness were associated with a significant change in plant community structure. Compared to the abandoned grassland, herbage management by grazing or mowing significantly display higher earthworm biomass and total richness. Except for pastures grazed by cattle at high intensity, earthworm abundance was at least twice that in the grassland at low grazing intensity or mowing compared to the abandoned grassland. Earthworm communities were significantly different between grazed and mown treatments notably due to changes within anecic and endogeic earthworm species. Overall, herbage management by animals or by mechanical export is beneficial for plant and earthworm diversity although no clear differences between management practices for earthworm richness, total biomass or total abundance were observed. Our results highlight that abandonment does not preserve biodiversity (plant, soil macrofauna) while management of grassland by grazing or mowing is a necessary tool for biodiversity conservation and improvement.

中文翻译：

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草地管理：维持植物和蚯蚓多样性的必要工具

在温带草原，蚯蚓对决定大部分生态系统服务的主要土壤过程做出了贡献。草地植物群落特征是维持蚯蚓群落的关键因素，但不同牧草管理对蚯蚓的影响尚不清楚。在这种背景下，本研究的目的是确定牧草管理对草原植物和蚯蚓群落的长期影响。在高地草原（法国中部高原）进行的一项为期 14 年的实验中采集了植物和蚯蚓样本。将废弃草地与割草草地以及牛（低或高强度）放牧或羊（低强度）放牧的牧场进行比较。与废弃草地相比，通过放牧或割草进行的牧草管理显示出更高的豆科植物、群落加权平均埃伦伯格光值以及植物丰富度，而它们显示出较低的植物凋落物百分比和群落加权平均埃伦伯格氮值。植物丰富度的差异与植物群落结构的显着变化有关。与废弃草地相比，放牧或割草管理的牧草显着表现出更高的蚯蚓生物量和总丰富度。除牛高强度放牧的牧场外，低放牧或割草强度的草地与废弃草地相比，蚯蚓丰度至少是其两倍。放牧和割草处理之间的蚯蚓群落存在显着差异，这主要是由于贫瘠和内生蚯蚓物种的变化。总体而言，动物或机械输出的牧草管理有利于植物和蚯蚓的多样性，尽管在蚯蚓丰富度、总生物量或总丰度方面没有观察到管理实践之间存在明显差异。我们的结果强调，废弃并不能保护生物多样性（植物、大型土壤动物），而通过放牧或割草管理草原是保护和改善生物多样性的必要工具。