TURNOVER OF CO-60 BY EARTHWORMS (EISENIA-FOETIDA) (LUMBRICIDAE, OLIGOCHAETA)

Authors
CROSSLEY DA BLOOD ER HENDRIX PF SEASTEDT TR
Citation
Da. Crossley et al., TURNOVER OF CO-60 BY EARTHWORMS (EISENIA-FOETIDA) (LUMBRICIDAE, OLIGOCHAETA), Agriculture, ecosystems & environment. Applied soil ecology, 2(2), 1995, pp. 71-75
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Agriculture Soil Science
Journal title
Agriculture, ecosystems & environment. Applied soil ecology → ACNP
ISSN journal
09291393
Volume
2
Issue
2
Year of publication
1995
Pages
71 - 75
Database
ISI
SICI code
0929-1393(1995)2:2<71:TOCBE(>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
In laboratory experiments, earthworms (Eisenia foetida) exhibited no a ssimilation of radioactive Co-60 from mineral soil, but did assimilate small quantities (about 7% of ingestion) of Co-60 from manure. This s tudy supports earlier work suggesting that earthworms assimilate only small amounts of inorganic elements from mineral soil, and that any as similation of metals must be from the organic fraction of soils. Thus, assimilation rates are a function of substrate quality. When fed to e arthworms, gamma-emitting radioactive elements can provide measurement of assimilation efficiency, gut passage time and feeding rate.