HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Caseley, J. C. Articles by Eno, C. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Caseley, J. C. Articles by Eno, C. F. Agricola Articles by Caseley, J. C. Articles by Eno, C. F.

Survival and Reproduction of Two Species of Earthworm and a Rotifer Following Herbicide Treatments¹

ABSTRACT

The survival and reproduction of Lumbricus terrestris Linné (Red Wiggler) and Eudrilus eugeniae Grinsburg, 1866 (African Giant) earthworms were followed in Everglades muck and Arredondo loamy fine sand treated with 11 herbicides at five rates.

Generally, E. eugeniae were more susceptible to the herbicides than L. terrestris and both suffered greater damage in Arredondo fine sand than in Everglades muck. Eggs and young were found in all treatments in the muck while none were observed in the fine sand. Several of the compounds had no effect, even at 64 ppm. Apart from dalapon, which had a significant effect on E. eugeniae at 8 ppm, the other compounds were ineffective below 16 ppm in Arredondo fine sand, and 32 ppm in Everglades muck. These levels are much in excess of the recommended rates for field applications.

Rotifers appear under moist conditions in most soils, and their diet includes soil algae. In solution culture, no direct toxic effects could be attributed to any one of the seven herbicides tested, but significant reductions in numbers of rotifers resulted from treatments which adversely affected the growth of unicellular algae. This demonstrated the indirect effect which some herbicides may have on an organism by way of a given food chain.

¹ Fla. Agr. Exp. Sta. Journal Series no. 2306.

² Post doctoral Fellow in Soils and Soil Microbiologist and Chairman, Soils Department, respectively.

Received for publication October 25, 1965. Accepted for publication February 4, 1966.