The influence of feeding patterns on growth and reproduction of the vermicomposting earthworm Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta)     

A. J. Reinecke  S. A. Viljoen 《Biology and Fertility of Soils》1990,10(3):184-187

Summary Observations in outdoor culture beds indicated that food availability and frequency of feeding influenced worm density. In order to study the role of feeding status on the growth and reproduction of Eisenia fetida, pre-clitellate specimens were kept for 180 days under controlled conditions. A control group was regularly provided with freshly produced cattle manure while the experimental groups were fed only sporadically and at some stage even starved by removing some of the substrate. Worm growth, maturation, and cocoon production were monitored. The role of food availability was highlighted by this study. Both worm growth and cocoon production were correlated closely with the feeding pattern that was followed. This study also showed that freshly produced, urine-free, cattle manure proved an excellent food source provided it was added in such a way as to prevent the development of anaerobic conditions. Regular feeding gave high growth and reproduction rates.  相似文献   

Microbiological characterization of the structures built by earthworms and ants in an agricultural field     

José A. Amador  Josef H. Görres 《Soil biology & biochemistry》2007,39(8):2070-2077

The genesis and architecture of the structures built by ants and earthworms differ markedly, suggesting that—in addition to having different physical and chemical properties—the resident microbial community should also have unique properties. We characterized the inorganic N, biomass C, C mineralization rate, and functional diversity of the microbial communities of earthworm casts, earthworm burrow soil, ant mounds, and bulk soil from an agricultural field. Mound soil was most enriched in inorganic N and had the lowest pH, moisture content, and C mineralization rate. Functional diversity was evaluated by determining the ability of microorganisms to grow on 31 substrates using Biolog^®EcoPlates in combination with a most probable number (MPN) approach. Casts had MPNs that were one to two orders of magnitude higher than burrow, mound and bulk soil for most substrates. Casts also had the highest MPNs for particular substrate guilds relative to bulk soil, followed by mound and burrow soil. Indices of substrate diversity and evenness were highest for casts, followed by burrow, mound, and bulk soil. Differences in the type of habitat provided by the structures built by ants and earthworms result in the differential distribution of nutrients, microbial activity, and metabolic diversity of soils within an agricultural field that affect soil fertility and quality.  相似文献   

Effects of organic manure and NPK fertilization on earthworm activity in an Oxisol     

S. C. Tiwari 《Biology and Fertility of Soils》1993,16(4):293-295

The effects of fertilization with N, P, K, and organic manure (alone or in combination) on earthworm populations, biomass, and casting activity were measured in a cultivated soil (organic C 1.5%, annual rainfall 2000–2300 mm). These applications of fertilizer caused significant increases in earthworm numbers, biomass, and casts. N alone or in combination with P and K also influenced these earthworm parameters significantly. The inorganic NPK fertilizer in combination with organic manure had a significantly greater effect on earthworm activities than NPK fertilizer alone, and therefore the addition of organic matter appears advisable in order to obtain maximum benefits from NPK fertilizer in this soil.  相似文献   

Significance of earthworms in stimulating soil microbial activity   总被引：9，自引：0，他引：9  

F. Binet  L. Fayolle  M. Pussard  J. J. Crawford  S. J. Traina  O. H. Tuovinen 《Biology and Fertility of Soils》1998,27(1):79-84

 The stimulatory effect of earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris L.) on soil microbial activity was studied under microcosm-controlled conditions. The hypothesis was tested that microbial stimulation observed in the presence of a soil invertebrate would be due to the utilization of additional nutritive substances (secretion and excretion products) that it provides. Changes in microbial activity were monitored by measuring simultaneously CO₂ release and protozoan population density. The increase in CO₂ released in the presence of earthworms was found to result from both earthworm respiration and enhanced microbial respiration. The stimulation of microbial activity was confirmed by a significant increase in protozoan population density, which was 3–19 times greater in the presence of earthworms. The respiratory rate of L. terrestris was estimated to be 53 μl O₂ g^–1 h^–1. Earthworm respiration significantly correlated with individual earthworm weight, but there was no correlation between the increase in microbial respiration and earthworm weight. This finding does not support the hypothesis given above that enhanced microbial respiration is due to utilization of earthworm excreta. A new hypothesis that relationships between microbial activity and earthworms are not based on trophic links alone but also on catalytic mechanisms is proposed and discussed. Received: 26 August 1997  相似文献   

Potential of earthworms,ants, millipedes,and termites for dissemination of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil   总被引：3，自引：0，他引：3  

K. M. Harinikumar  D. J. Bagyaraj 《Biology and Fertility of Soils》1994,18(2):115-118

We studied the effects of earthworms, termites, ants, and millipedes on the dissemination of vesciulararbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) propagules. Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris L.) casts collected from the garden were air-dried, stored, and examined for the presence of VAM fungi by inoculating the cast material onto onion plants grown in sterilized soil. VAM propagules survived for a period of 12 months. The results showed that earth-worms can contribute to the dissemination of VAM propagules. Nests of ants (Camponotus compressus Fabr.) collected from different locations were examined for the presence of VAM propagules. They harboured up to 790 infective propagules g^-1 of nest, showing that ants can be potential vectors in disseminating VAM fungi. The faecal pellets of the millipede (Phyllogonostreptus nigrolabiatus Newport) collected from the rearing tank were tested for VAM colonization. Though VAM propagules were present in the fresh faecal pellets, they lost their viability after 4 days of storage. Termitaria samples of both mound-building and subterranean termites were also examined for VAM propagules but those found were non-viable.  相似文献   

Genetic variation in desiccation tolerance of Dendrobaena octaedra cocoons originating from different climatic regions     

Martin Holmstrup  Volker Loeschcke 《Soil biology & biochemistry》2003,35(1):119-124

The aim of this study was to examine genetic variation in desiccation tolerance in cocoons of the parthenogenetically reproducing earthworm Dendrobaena octaedra by comparing populations originating from different geographic regions (Denmark, Norway and Finland), representing large differences in precipitation and temperature. In one experiment, the tolerance of the three populations to increasing desiccation stress in the range from 100 to 91.6% relative humidity (RH) was examined, aiming to represent ecologically relevant RH values. In a second experiment, the effect of cocoon size on desiccation tolerance was investigated at 92.3% RH in the same three populations. There were highly significant differences in desiccation tolerance between populations, indicating a high genetic differentiation of this trait in D. octaedra. Cocoons from Denmark were much more sensitive (71±14% mortality at 91.6% RH) than cocoons from Norway (21±4% mortality) and Finland (4±5% mortality). Cocoons of worms from Finland and Norway were significantly larger than cocoons produced by worms from Denmark suggesting that cocoons from Denmark lost water at a higher rate when subjected to low humidity. Assuming that slow dehydration is necessary for physiologically based protection mechanisms it may be expected that desiccation tolerance is positively correlated with cocoon size. However, within each of the populations cocoon fresh weight did not have any significant impact on desiccation tolerance. When all populations were pooled there was a significant positive effect of cocoon fresh weight on desiccation tolerance, explaining about 20% of the total variation (linear regression). It seems therefore that genetic variation of desiccation tolerance in D. octaedra cocoons is related to variation in both cocoon size and other, physiologically based tolerance mechanisms.  相似文献   

降雨冲刷造成的畜禽粪便氮磷流失规律及蚯蚓强化降解堆沤池氮磷流失控制作用研究     

尹琴  瞿广飞  黄凯  杨龙誉 《安徽农业科学》2015,(25):265-268

采用模拟装置对畜禽粪便在雨水冲刷下的氮磷流失规律进行了研究,为了试验结果可控性,采用人工降雨与模拟降雨相结合的方式,分别采集畜禽粪便堆体表层、30、50 cm处的样本.分析结果发现,降雨冲刷可导致畜禽粪便中65％的氮和55％的磷流失,且流失率主要与畜禽粪便的堆置时间和堆体高度有关,与单次降雨量关系不大.并结合流失规律开展了蚯蚓强化降解堆沤池的研究和蚯蚓生长条件的动力学优化,结果表明,堆沤池对堆体中的氮磷元素的流失有明显的控制作用.  相似文献   

蚯蚓提取物抗肿瘤作用的实验研究   总被引：4，自引：0，他引：4  

何道伟  周菲 《长江大学学报》2005,2(9):225-226,230

目的:探讨蚯蚓提取物对Eca-109细胞生长抑制作用及机制.方法:应用四甲基偶氮唑盐(MTT)比色分析,流式细胞仪测定细胞凋亡,细胞周期及检测小鼠体内肿瘤质量.结果:蚯蚓提取物成分Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ中,只有大、中剂量(900,450 mg·L-1)成分Ⅱ对Eca-109细胞有明显的抑制作用,300,600 mg·L-1灌胃对小鼠肿瘤有明显的抑制作用.细胞检测有凋亡细胞出现,细胞被阻滞在G0-G1期,DNA合成受阻故使肿瘤细胞受抑制,肿瘤体积缩小.结论:蚯蚓提取物成分Ⅱ对肿瘤细胞增殖有明显的抑制作用,主要通过细胞凋亡和肿瘤细胞受阻于G0-G1期,使DNA合成减少.  相似文献   

普通和高温预处理下污泥蚯蚓堆肥的技术研究     

冯春  汪龙眠 《安徽农业科学》2013,41(19):8149-8152

[目的]采用直接和经高温预处理2种方式进行污泥蚯蚓堆肥,考察温度、含水率随堆肥时间的变化规律,比较2种方式的异同。[方法]通过加入不同物料(稻壳、锯末、磷矿粉、粉煤灰、菜叶、果皮)改变污泥蚯蚓的有机质配比,观察pH、有机质含量和电导率的变化。[结果]蚯蚓堆肥处理城市污泥的最适宜温度是20℃左右;蚯蚓堆肥过程中的含水率控制在55%~70%;蚯蚓堆肥原料有机质含量控制在40%~60%;采用半腐烂的菜叶和果皮调节pH,使蚯蚓和微生物在中性和偏碱性条件下生活;经高温堆肥一次发酵预处理后的蚯蚓堆肥污泥电导率始终呈下降趋势,直接蚯蚓堆肥污泥电导率呈先上升后下降。[结论]普通和高温预处理下污泥蚯蚓堆肥可行,堆肥影响因素变化各异。  相似文献   

蚯蚓粪对土壤团聚体组成和入渗过程水分运移的影响   总被引：9，自引：5，他引：4  

吴军虎  邵凡凡  刘侠 《水土保持学报》2019,33(3):81-87

通过室内土壤团聚体组成分析试验和土柱一维垂直入渗试验,探究蚯蚓粪对土壤团聚体组成、抗水蚀稳定性以及入渗过程中水分运移特性的影响。结果表明:(1)蚯蚓粪可以有效降低土壤容重,增加0.25~2 mm粒级大团聚体的数量,分形维数D从2.84减小至2.65,减小了6.69%,显著提高了土壤团聚体抗水蚀稳定性;(2)施加比例为1/20时,可以显著增加湿润锋的运移距离,而后随着施加比例的增大,湿润锋距离有不同程度的减小,但均大于未施加蚯蚓粪的处理,且各处理下的湿润锋运移距离与入渗时间的关系均可用幂函数描述;(3)蚯蚓粪比例的增大可以显著提高累积入渗量和稳定阶段的入渗速率,当施加比例为1/3时,累积入渗量较对照组增大48.74%;其中Kostiakov-Lewis模型对入渗过程的模拟准确度最高,也更接近实测值。  相似文献