Table 1 ANOVA-results on the effects of seed dressings, earthworms and collembola on soil and plant parameter

Earthworms

 Surface activity (toothpicks)

–

–

2.97

0.091

–

–

1.42

0.253

–

–

 Surface activity (no. casts)

–

–

8.02

0.007

–

–

0.30

0.739

–

–

 Surface activity (cast mass)

–

–

2.87

0.097

–

–

0.91

0.411

–

–

Collembola

 Surface activity (total no.)

62.56

<0.001

–

–

4.97

0.011

–

–

–

–

 Surface activity (daily no.)

9.87

0.003

–

–

1.90

0.159

–

–

–

–

Protista

 Flagellates (abundance g⁻¹ soil)

0.13

0.720

–

–

0.16

0.849

–

–

–

–

 Amoebae (abundance g⁻¹ soil)

0.03

0.855

–

–

0.17

0.842

–

–

–

–

 Protozoa (abundance g⁻¹ soil)

0.01

0.933

–

–

0.02

0.979

–

–

–

–

Soil microorganisms

 Basal respiration (µg CO₂–C g⁻¹ h⁻¹)

14.794

<0.001

4.56

0.038

0.47

0.628

0.78

0.492

0.03

0.866

 Microbial biomass C_mic (µg C g⁻¹)

4.07

0.049

0.02

0.881

0.48

0.619

0.54

0.585

1.93

0.171

 Metabolic quotient qCO₂ (µg CO₂–C g⁻¹ h⁻¹ C_mic h⁻¹)

0.03

0.856

1.51

0.225

2.91

0.064

0.73

0.489

7.99

0.007

Litter decomposition

 Decomposition rate (k)

0.01

0.955

0.45

0.507

0.19

0.825

1.03

0.368

1.01

0.322

 Stabilisation factor (S)

0.29

0.588

1.34

0.254

0.26

0.769

2.07

0.139

1.80

0.187

Soil abiotic parameters

 Water content (%)

20.83

<0.001

1.52

0.224

0.90

0.412

0.53

0.589

0.01

0.983

 Temperature (°C)

2.71

0.106

0.17

0.678

0.83

0.443

0.15

0.864

0.66

0.422

 Electrical conductivity (mS m⁻¹)

9.30

0.004

0.01

0.958

2.22

0.119

0.09

0.915

0.01

0.957

Wheat parameter

 Germination rate (%)

0.01

0.998

0.51

0.477

1.25

0.295

0.51

0.601

0.03

0.859

 Height (cm)

93.77

<0.001

0.06

0.799

0.47

0.627

0.06

0.945

0.85

0.362

 Biomass (g)

3.84

0.056

0.14

0.705

0.21

0.815

0.69

0.506

0.53

0.472