M. Holmstrup, Cocoon production of Aporrectodea longa Ude and Aporrectodea rosea savigny(Oligochaeta; Lumbricidae) in a Danish grass field, SOIL BIOL B, 31(7), 1999, pp. 957-964
I describe a method to study the reproductive rate of earthworms in the fie
ld. The method is based on a detailed knowledge of the influence of tempera
ture on the development of earthworm cocoons. This relationship [R(T)] was
described for populations of Aporrectodea longa and A. rosea that were stud
ied in a field experiment from 1 May to 6 June, 1997. Soil temperature was
measured throughout the study and on 6 June the density of cocoons was esti
mated. The sampled cocoons were incubated in the laboratory and their hatch
ing distribution was recorded. Based on R(T), the average development time
in the field of cocoons produced on 1 May was predicted, and the hatched co
coons could thus be scored as either produced during the study, or before.
This made it possible to estimate the density of cocoons produced during th
e study. The density of adults was also estimated by soil sampling during t
he study, and finally the reproductive rate could be calculated as density
of cocoons divided by density of adults. Using this method the reproductive
rate (viable cocoons) of A. longa was estimated to 0.09 +/- 0.04 cocoon ad
ult(-1) d(-1) (mean +/- S.D., n = 4), corresponding to a cocoon production
throughout the study of 3.3 +/- 1.6 adult(-1). The reproductive rate of A.
rosea was estimated to 0.20 +/- 0.06 cocoon adult(-1) d(-1), corresponding
to 7.2 +/- 2.1 adult(-1). The average soil temperature was 10 degrees C. Th
ese results confirm results of previous studies indicating that the reprodu
ctive rate of A. longa is low in comparison with other earthworm species. O
n the other hand, the results suggest that the reproductive rate of A. rose
a under natural conditions may be much higher than assumed. (C) 1999 Elsevi
er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.