Abstract
The present study deals with the relation between earthworms and some environmental factors, especially vegetation and soil properties. Six species were collected from 66 sampling localities in Sapporo; Allolobophora japonica MICHAELSON (A and B forms), A. caliginosa (SAVIGNY), A. rosea (SAVIGNY), Eisenia foetida (SAVIGNY), Dendrobaena octaedra (SAVIGNY), Bimastus tenuis (EISEN). Among them, A. japonica (A form) and D. octaedra were collected from many sampling localities and often found together. The sampling localities were divided into nine habitats in reference to vegetation, and the species compositions of forest and grassland were similar each other at three seasons, spring, summer and autumn. No clear correlation was observed between three soil properties (water and organic matter contents and pH value) and the total population density or that of each lumbricid species.
