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Biology of Earthworms

  • Book
  • © 2011

Overview

Editors:
  1. Ayten Karaca

    1. Fac. Agriculture, Dept. Soil Science, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

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  • Each chapter provides a general review and statement of current understanding, recent developments and advances, priorities for future research and applications
  • With contributions written by leading international authorities working with earthworms
  • A valuable source of information for scientists in biology, soil ecology and agriculture
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Soil Biology (SOILBIOL, volume 24)

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Table of contents (18 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Antimicrobial Vermipeptides: From Methods to Characteristics

    • Sun Zhenjun
    Pages 1-17

  3. Optimizing Earthworm Sampling in Ecosystems

    • Jan Valckx, Gerard Govers, Martin Hermy, Bart Muys
    Pages 19-38

  4. Earthworms and Soil Structure

    • Yasemin Kavdir, Remzi İlay
    Pages 39-50

  5. Comparative Anatomy of the Calciferous Gland of Lumbricid Earthworms

    • María Jesús Iglesias Briones, Trevor George Piearce
    Pages 51-67

  6. Reproduction of Earthworms: Sexual Selection and Parthenogenesis

    • Darío J. Díaz Cosín, Marta Novo, Rosa Fernández
    Pages 69-86

  7. The Earthworm Inoculation Unit Technique: Development and Use in Soil Improvement Over Two Decades

    • Kevin Richard Butt
    Pages 87-105

  8. Controlled Cultivation of Endogeic and Anecic Earthworms

    • Kevin Richard Butt, Christopher Nathan Lowe
    Pages 107-121

  9. The Meek Shall Inherit the Burrow: Feedback in Earthworm Soil Modification

    • Visa Nuutinen
    Pages 123-140

  10. Earthworm Interactions with Soil Enzymes

    • Ridvan Kizilkaya, Ayten Karaca, Oguz Can Turgay, Sema Camci Cetin
    Pages 141-158

  11. The Impact of Cultivation Techniques on Earthworm Populations

    • Avril Rothwell, Keith Chaney, Pat Haydock
    Pages 159-172

  12. Assessing the Role of Earthworms in Biocontrol of Soil-Borne Plant Fungal Diseases

    • Mukesh K. Meghvansi, Lokendra Singh, Ravi B. Srivastava, Ajit Varma
    Pages 173-189

  13. The Use of Vermicompost Products to Control Plant Diseases and Pests

    • Yurdagul Simsek-Ersahin
    Pages 191-213

  14. Vermicompost as a Biological Soil Amendment

    • J. Tajbakhsh, E. Mohammadi Goltapeh, Ajit Varma
    Pages 215-228

  15. Earthworm Innate Immune System

    • Péter Engelmann, Edwin L. Cooper, Balázs Opper, Péter Németh
    Pages 229-245

  16. Earthworms: A Potent Herbal Target for TCM (CAM) Research

    • Yung-Ming Chang, Wei-Yi Chi, Edwin L. Cooper, Wei-Wen Kuo, Chih-Yang Huang
    Pages 247-260

  17. Earthworms as Bioindicators of Soil Quality

    • Heinz-Christian Fründ, Ulfert Graefe, Sabine Tischer
    Pages 261-278

  18. Application of Molecular Genetics to Earthworm Ecology: Current Research and Promising Future Directions

    • F. Lazrek, T. P. Velavan, J. Mathieu, L. Dupont
    Pages 279-297

  19. Population Dynamics of Earthworms in Organic Farming Systems

    • James B. Kotcon
    Pages 299-310

  20. Back Matter

    Pages 311-316
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Keywords

About this book

Earthworms, which belong to the order Oligochaeta, comprise roughly 3,000 species grouped into five families. Earthworms have been called ‘ecosystem engineers’; much like human engineers, they change the structure of their environments. Earthworms are very versatile and are found in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems. They play an important role in forest and agricultural ecosystems. This Soil Biology volume describes the various facets of earthworms, such as their role in soil improvement, soil structure, and the biocontrol of soil-borne plant fungal diseases. Reviews discuss earthworms’ innate immune system, molecular markers to address various issues of earthworm ecology, earthworm population dynamics, and the influences of organic farming systems and tillage. Further topics include the characteristics of vermicompost, relationships between soil earthworms and enzymes, the role of spermathecae, copulatory behavior, and adjustment of the donated sperm volume.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Fac. Agriculture, Dept. Soil Science, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

    Ayten Karaca

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