Ecological detoxification of methamidophos by earthworms in phaiozem co-contaminated with acetochlor and copper

In view of the ubiquitous co-existence of methamidophos, acetochlor and copper (Cu) in agricultural soils, ecological detoxification of methamidophos in phaiozem by earthworms was examined using the detoxic incubation experiments with illumination. It was validated that the earthworm Eisenia fetida is a useful soil animal in the process of methamidophos detoxification as the assistance of soil microbes and enzymes. Due to the action of earthworms, the half life of methamidophos with concentration of 15 mg/kg in phaiozem could decrease from 5.61 days to 5.08 days. Dynamics of methamidophos detoxification by earthworms could conform to the logistic model. Under the condition of multiple pollution combined with acetochlor (20 mg/kg) and Cu (300 mg/kg), ecological detoxification of methamidophos by earthworms became complicated. Acetochlor played a promoting role in the biodegradation of methamidophos to some extent, while it was basically inhibited by Cu.     

Comparative analysis of Andiodrilus pachoensis casts in forests and pastures of South-Eastern Amazon (Brazil)

Soil ecosystem engineers produce biogenic structures (casts, mounds, galleries) that strongly affect soil processes. A comparative analysis of the physical characteristics of the casts produced by the earthworm Andiodrilus pachoensis was carried out in four pastures sowed with Brachiaria brizantha and four primary forests on the deforestation front of the Amazonian forest. In both systems, we recorded surface cast density and spatial patterns as well as surface cast physical properties. Cast and vegetation distributions were mapped within plots of sizes ranging from 25 to 50 m², and cast production was monitored during 2 months. Cast spatial distribution varied greatly among plots and across spatial scales ranging from regular at small spatial scales (0–20 cm) to clumped for larger distance ranges (>80 cm). Cast density was not significantly correlated with grass tuft density and their production was independent from the presence of grass tufts in pastures or litter quantity in forests. Although bulk soil properties (pH, C content, structural stability, etc) differed between pastures and forests, cast physical properties did not differ significantly among the studied ecosystem.     

Earthworm communities in native savannas and man-made pastures of the Eastern Plains of Colombia

 The structure and seasonal changes of earthworm communities were evaluated in a natural savanna and in a improved grass-legume pasture in a Colombian oxisol over a period of 18 months. One plot of 90×90 m was isolated in each of the systems and each month five samples of 1 m²×0.5 m and ten of 20×20×20 cm were randomly selected from a stratified block design. Species richness was similar in the two evaluated plots (seven species), whereas diversity measured by the index, H (Shannon and Weaver 1949) was clearly different, i.e. H=2.89 in natural savanna and H=1.29 in pasture. This is explained by differences in earthworm community structure. The average annual density in the savanna was 49.8, ranging from 10.8 to 135.8 individuals (ind) m^–2, and biomass was 3.3 g m^–2 (hand-sorting method), ranging from 0.9 to 11.5 g m^–2. In the man-made pasture, density was 80.1 ind m^–2 on average, ranging from 24 to 215.8 ind m^–2 and biomass was more than tenfold higher, ranging from 29.2 to 110.4 g m^–2. This was especially due to the presence of a large glossoscolecid anecic species, Martiodrilus carimaguensis Jiménez and Moreno, which has been greatly favoured by conversion of savanna to pasture. Endogeic species were dominant in the natural savanna whereas the anecic species accounted for 88% of total earthworm biomass in the pasture. Total earthworm density and biomass were significantly different in the two systems studied (t-test). The results indicate a clearly positive response of earthworm communities to improved pastures, a type of land use that is being increasingly adopted in moist neotropical savannas. Received: 20 October 1997     

Lumbricus terrestris L. distribution within an experimental humus mosaic in a mountain spruce forest

 An experiment was designed at a mountain site to study the distribution of adult Lumbricus terrestris in relation to a small-scale mosaic of humus forms representative of different stages of a spruce forest ecosystem. Good agreement was found between distribution in the mosaic and that in the field. ANOVA tests demonstrated the strong influence of humus form on earthworm abundance when comparing a vermimull (high earthworm burrowing activity) taken from a spruce regeneration site (61.8 individuals m^–2) with a leptomoder (no earthworm burrowing activity) taken from a 60-year-old spruce stand (6.2 individuals m^–2). Other humus forms were intermediate (mean density 34.6 individuals m^–2). The same pattern was found with individual biomass, but with lower significance. Main differences observed in the experimental design were attributed to the immediate carrying density of the humus forms. A distinction was made between humus profiles built up with or without spruce cover. In the latter case (regeneration site and bilberry heath), the immediate carrying capacity indicated by the experimental approach overestimated the field density by a factor of 4. Under spruce this overestimate was even higher (approximately 10 times too high in an adult spruce stand (160 years old) and 30 times too high under moss cover). The increase in density due to experimental conditions was not determined for leptomoder humus accumulated under the actively growing spruce stand (60 years old) since the earthworm density was near zero in both cases. Relationships between humus form and earthworm populations are discussed. Received: 9 June 1997     

Optimization of the protein fraction of microcapsules used in feeding of marine fish larvae using in vitro digestibility techniques

The development of artificial feeds for marine fish larvae is demanding and, taking into account the difficulties and costs associated with the rearing of the larvae of some fish, preliminary evaluation of feed ingredients using in vitro techniques may be an alternative to in vivo assays. Some proteins used in microfeeds for marine fish were tested in vitro for examination of their effect on the proteases of seabream larvae. Casein and cuttlefish meal did not affect protease activity of crude larval extracts, whereas ovalbumin produced a 60% inhibition. The use of a pH-stat for the assessment of the degree of hydrolysis (DH) of proteins confirmed the low nutritive value of ovalbumin, since a much lower value was obtained for microcapsules prepared using this protein source when compared with those prepared using casein or cuttlefish meal (3.2 vs. 7.3 and 7.6, respectively). Products resulting from such hydrolysis were analysed using sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). Image analysis of such gels led to the formulation of an index named the coefficient of protein degradation (CPD) which expressed the extent to which the main protein fractions were hydrolysed by larval proteases in a given time. A significant correlation ( r ² = 0.98, P  < 0.05) was obtained between DH and CPD values measured for either protein sources or microcapsules. The combination of protease inhibition assays with measurements of DH and CPD is proposed as a preliminary evaluation of protein ingredients used in the formulation of artificial feeds for larval fish.     

蚯蚓及其在环境保护上的应用 I.蚯蚓及其在自然生态系统中的作用

蚯蚓是土壤中的主要动物类群,在陆地生态系统中具有重要的功能。蚯蚓促进植物残枝落叶的降解,有机物质的分解和矿化这一复杂的过程,并具有混合土壤、改善土壤结构、提高土壤透气、排水和深层持水能力的作用。它们的这些作用与其生物量和三种生态类型（ 表层种、内层种和深层种） 密切相关。     

Comparison of nutrient losses into the water from rainbow trout culture based on fresh Baltic herring, moist and dry diets

The nutrient losses into the water from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cage culture using locally caught low-fat Baltic herring, herring-based moist diets and fishmeal-based dry diets were estimated. Feeding with herring led to nitrogen and phosphorus losses into the water twice as high as those feeding with dry pellets (78–162 versus 37–39 g N and 15–39 versus 7–18 g P per kg growth). This was supported by direct measurements of ammonia and phosphate excretion. Increasing feeding frequencies resulted in increased nutrient losses irrespective of diet. Increasing dietary lipid level had a more pronounced effect in reducing the expected nutrient losses in dry pellets than herring. The reduction within the herring was approximately 18% on average for nitrogen and 25% for phosphorus losses. Dietary water content did not affect the nutrient losses. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

双齿围沙蚕与赤子爱胜蚓对凡纳滨对虾生长和免疫指标的影响

以鲜活饵料双齿围沙蚕（Perinereis aibuhitensis）、赤子爱胜蚓（Eisenia foetida）和人工配合饵料投喂凡纳滨对虾（Litopenaeus vannamei），并测定各种饵料对其生长和免疫指标的影响。结果表明，沙蚕和蚯蚓单独投喂或与人工配合饵料配合投喂都可显著提高凡纳滨对虾的生长速率，但用沙蚕单独投喂的对虾成活率较低。蚯蚓与人工配合饵料配合投喂可显著提高对虾血清中抗菌活力、溶菌活力、酚氧化酶活力和血细胞数量；蚯蚓单独投喂可显著提高血清中抗菌活力、酚氧化酶活力和血细胞数量，对血清中溶菌活力作用不明显。沙蚕与人工配合饵料配合投喂可显著提高对虾血清中抗菌和溶菌活力．但对血清中酚氧化酶活力和血细胞数量变化作用不明显；单独投喂沙蚕对所测各项免疫指标影响均不显著。研究结果证实：利用蚯蚓和沙蚕可显著提高对虾的生长速率，但蚯蚓的饵料效果优于沙蚕。[中国水产科学，2006，13（4）：561—565]     

Growth,partial energy balance,mantle and digestive gland lipid composition of Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797) fed with two artificial diets

Effects of two binders (gelatine and alginate) were tested on growth, survival, partial energy balance and lipid composition of mantle and digestive gland (DG) of Octopus vulgaris. The three diets tested were given as follows: CON, (Loligo gahi) as control, GEL, composed of squid paste (L. gahi) (300 g kg^?1), fish hydrolyse CPSP^® (100 g kg^?1) and fish meal (500 g kg^?1), agglutinated with 100 g kg^?1 of gelatine and ALG, composed of squid paste (L. gahi) (300 g kg^?1), fish hydrolyse CPSP^® (100 g kg^?1) and fish meal (500 g kg^?1), all agglutinated with 100 g kg^?1 of alginate. Growth rates were 13.7 ± 2.1, 2.1 ± 2.8 and ?2.4 ± 2.9 g kg^?1 bw day^?1, for octopuses fed CON, GEL and ALG diets, respectively. DGs of octopuses had higher concentrations of fatty acids (FA) than the mantle. DG of animals fed CON had higher concentrations of FAs than those fed the artificial diets. Energetic balance demonstrated that physiologically useful energy for maintenance E(B) was affected by type of diet, with negative values of E(B) in animals fed ALG and positive (85 and 154 kJ kg^?1 day^?1) in octopuses fed GEL and CON, respectively. The ALG diet did not cope with the physiological requirements for octopus growth.