Body Mass of Earthworms Essay Example for Free

Body Mass of Earthworms EssayEarthworms play an important role in the turnover of organic divulgecome in soil and maintaining a good soil structure (Lavelle, 1988). Physical properties in soils improved by earthworms include improved aggregation, stability, and porosity. The soil biological and chemical substance properties of soils that may be modified include nutrient cycling (mainly nitrogen and phosphorus), organic matter decomposition rates, and chemical forms of nutrients in soil and their availability to nominates. They to a fault change the soil pH, organic matter dynamics in terms of quality and quantity, microbial and invertebrate natural process, and diversity of the microflora and fauna (Lavelle et al. , 1998). Therefore, they be essential for plant growth especially in an extensive agricultural system, such as organic farming, which is based on nutrient release from turnover of organic matter.Earthworms washstand also be apply as a source of protein for animal feed which had been reported to enlarge the growth of fish, chicken and piglets (Guerro, 1983 Jin-you et al., 1982 Edwards and Niederer, 1988). The mean amounts of essential amino acids recorded in earthworms are found to be very adequate for a good animal feed. Moreover, earthworm tissues contain a preponderance of long-chain juicy acids, many of which cannot be synthesized by non-ruminant animals and an adequate mineral discipline (Edwards and Niederer, 1988). Recently, the enzymes derived by the earthworms, lumbrokinase or earthworm fibrinolytic enzymes (EFE) which has anticoagulant (blood thinner) property is extensively being used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Following these valuable application of earthworms, the management of earthworm communities provides a promising field for innovation in agricultural practises.There are many factors affecting the growth and body mass of earthworms that need to be considered during cultivation of earthworms. The soil mois ture obviously has an effect on the growth and activity of earthworms. Earthworms lose moisture through their cuticles, so they are very dependent on soil moisture. When soil moisture is optimum, earthworms increase in mass and in their activity if food sources are available (Lee, 1985 Edwards and Bohlen, 1996). Another important factor is the additions of organic matter in the form of farmyard manure which have been found to increase earthworm populations under favourable soil conditions (Lofs-Holmin, 1983a Hansen, 1996).Several studies found that the mass of earthworms were the highest in manured soil compared to unfertilized and mineral fertilized soils (Hansen and Engelstad,1999 Marhan and Scheu, 2005). The purpose of this study is therefore, was to identify the optimum soil moisture and aim of fertilizer that can be used to increase the body mass of earthworms, Pheretima sp. during cultivation. The worms of the genus Pheretima are indigenous to Southeast Asia (Edwards and Loft y, 1972), and widely distributed in tropical rainforests with strongly acid soils. There were two treatments being tested in this experiment. In the moisture content treatments, four distinguishable levels of moisture level in soil were compared. As for the fertilizer treatment, the goat manure was added at two different levels and was compared with an unfertilized control.AimThe aim of this experiment was to investigate the effectuate of moisture content and fertilizers on the body mass of earthworms, Pheretima sp. under laboratory conditions. Any observed difference in body mass may so indicate the optimum soil moisture and fertilizer content which can improve the mass rearing of this species for commercial use. Materials and MethodsStudy siteThe study was carried out in the Animal House which is located at Level 8 of Building 3, Monash University, Sunway Campus commencing from 19th April 2010 to 10th May 2010 (22 days). The rearing conditions for Pheretima sp during the study consisted of containers (paper cup) held in ceaseless darkness at room temperature (25oC).Experimental designThe earthworms, Pheretima sp. were obtained from a shop in Klang Valley. Each test container (paper cup) was inoculated with a sample size of five worms (n=5). before the experiment commences, the initial body mass (Mi) of the worms in each containers was weighed using an analytical balance. Then, each container was added with 500 g of clay-brown soil which was obtained from the Green House of Monash University. Treatments used in this experiment are combinations of two factors, the level of fertilizer application and water application.The treatments were within a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with 3 replications. solely replications of treatments are assigned completely at random to independent experimental subjects. The relationship between three different levels of fertilizer treatment and four different levels of moisture treatment as they relate to the changes in t he body mass of earthworms was examined with a split-plot factorial ANOVA, where fertilizer was a between group factor, and moisture content was a within group factor. This resulted in 12 (4 treatment level x 3 replicates) moisture containers in each (three) groups of different level of fertilizer, which make a total of 36 experimental units.