Growth and reproduction of Perionyx excavatus (Perr.) (Megascolecidae) as factors in organic waste management |
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| Authors: | C A Edwards J Dominguez E F Neuhauser |
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| Institution: | (1) Departamento de Ecoloxia e Bioloxia animal Universidade de Vigo, Apt. 874 Vigo – E-36200, Spain Fax: +34-9868/2556 e-mail: jdgvez@uvigo.es, ES;(2) Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, OH 43210 USA Fax: +1-614-292-2180 e-mail: dominguez.8@osu.edu, US;(3) Mohawk Power Company, Syracuse, New York, USA, US |
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| Abstract: | The life cycle of Perionyx excavatus has been studied and the potential of this epigeic earthworm species for breaking down and processing organic wastes is well
known. Understanding of its optimal environmental requirements is required in order to optimize and accelerate the vermicomposting
process. The rates of growth and reproduction of P. excavatus, on a variety of organic wastes, were evaluated in these experiments. The time of maturation and the rates of growth of this
species, under various population density pressures and temperatures between 15 °C and 30 °C, were also assessed. Increasing
temperatures up to 30 °C accelerated the growth of earthworms and lessened the time to sexual maturity. However, the highest
rates of reproduction occurred at 25 °C both in cattle solids and sewage sludge. The mean time to egg hatching decreased
and the degree of hatching success increased with increasing temperature. Earthworms grew at similar rates in cattle solids,
pig solids and aerobically digested sewage sludge, but the earthworms did not grow well in horse solids and grew only poorly
in turkey wastes.
The maximum individual growth rates as a function of earthworm population and the maximum earthworm weights as a function
of time with a constant food supply at four different temperatures were assessed.
Received: 16 July 1997 |
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| Keywords: | Perionyx excavatus Earthworms Organic waste Vermicomposting |
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