International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy

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Earthworm: A Potential and Sustainable Source for Soil Fertility – An Altitude Based Biophysical Study

Received: 22 May 2016    Accepted:     Published: 23 May 2016
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Abstract

An altitude based study was undertaken in the present investigation to find out the status of ecological indices of earthworms in turn to assess the fertility of the soil. Evidences are ample to prove that the physico chemical factors of the environment /soil are responsible for greater ecological indices of earthworms. In the present investigation also it was proved that the earthworm abundance is responsible for the soil fertility for which supportive studies were made on 1. the population dynamics of earthworms, 2. Size of body pores on the skin of earthworms and the secretion of coelomic fluid and the 3. Physico chemical factors of the soil in the area surveyed. It was also found that the earthworm abundance was found to be greater in Meghamalai hills of Theni district compared to that of Sirumalai hills of Dindigul district but when the plains and hills of both the district were compared the earthworm population was found to be more in the plains. Atomic force microscopic studies were also made to measure the size of the body pores of the skin of earthworms of plains and hills. It was found that the number of body pores is more and their size is also larger in the earthworms of plain lands. As a result ceolomic fluid secretion was more. The coelomic fluid contains more than forty proteins and exhibits several biological activities and it supplements the soil with nutrients. Moreover, physical parameters of the soil samples of hills and plains such as rainfall and temperature and chemical parameters such as Ec, pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Boron, were found to be conducive for the growth and multiplication of earthworms in the soil of the plain lands than the hills. Hence, it can be concluded that the earthworm population has got its influence on soil fertility; the more the number of earthworms, more availability of coelomic fluid, which indirectly influences the fertility of the soil, enhances the economy of the nation and the world at large. In total the global worming suppresses global warming.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160403.15
Published in International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 4, Issue 3, May 2016)
Page(s) 77-85
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Earthworm Abundance, Hills, Plain Lands, Physico Chemical Factors, Coelomic Fluid, Soil Fertility

References
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  • APA Style

    M. Kanchilakshmi, Arockiam Thaddeus. (2016). Earthworm: A Potential and Sustainable Source for Soil Fertility – An Altitude Based Biophysical Study. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 4(3), 77-85. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160403.15

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    ACS Style

    M. Kanchilakshmi; Arockiam Thaddeus. Earthworm: A Potential and Sustainable Source for Soil Fertility – An Altitude Based Biophysical Study. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2016, 4(3), 77-85. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160403.15

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    AMA Style

    M. Kanchilakshmi, Arockiam Thaddeus. Earthworm: A Potential and Sustainable Source for Soil Fertility – An Altitude Based Biophysical Study. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2016;4(3):77-85. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160403.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20160403.15,
      author = {M. Kanchilakshmi and Arockiam Thaddeus},
      title = {Earthworm: A Potential and Sustainable Source for Soil Fertility – An Altitude Based Biophysical Study},
      journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
      volume = {4},
      number = {3},
      pages = {77-85},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20160403.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160403.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20160403.15},
      abstract = {An altitude based study was undertaken in the present investigation to find out the status of ecological indices of earthworms in turn to assess the fertility of the soil. Evidences are ample to prove that the physico chemical factors of the environment /soil are responsible for greater ecological indices of earthworms. In the present investigation also it was proved that the earthworm abundance is responsible for the soil fertility for which supportive studies were made on 1. the population dynamics of earthworms, 2. Size of body pores on the skin of earthworms and the secretion of coelomic fluid and the 3. Physico chemical factors of the soil in the area surveyed. It was also found that the earthworm abundance was found to be greater in Meghamalai hills of Theni district compared to that of Sirumalai hills of Dindigul district but when the plains and hills of both the district were compared the earthworm population was found to be more in the plains. Atomic force microscopic studies were also made to measure the size of the body pores of the skin of earthworms of plains and hills. It was found that the number of body pores is more and their size is also larger in the earthworms of plain lands. As a result ceolomic fluid secretion was more. The coelomic fluid contains more than forty proteins and exhibits several biological activities and it supplements the soil with nutrients. Moreover, physical parameters of the soil samples of hills and plains such as rainfall and temperature and chemical parameters such as Ec, pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Boron, were found to be conducive for the growth and multiplication of earthworms in the soil of the plain lands than the hills. Hence, it can be concluded that the earthworm population has got its influence on soil fertility; the more the number of earthworms, more availability of coelomic fluid, which indirectly influences the fertility of the soil, enhances the economy of the nation and the world at large. In total the global worming suppresses global warming.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Earthworm: A Potential and Sustainable Source for Soil Fertility – An Altitude Based Biophysical Study
    AU  - M. Kanchilakshmi
    AU  - Arockiam Thaddeus
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    T2  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
    JF  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
    JO  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160403.15
    AB  - An altitude based study was undertaken in the present investigation to find out the status of ecological indices of earthworms in turn to assess the fertility of the soil. Evidences are ample to prove that the physico chemical factors of the environment /soil are responsible for greater ecological indices of earthworms. In the present investigation also it was proved that the earthworm abundance is responsible for the soil fertility for which supportive studies were made on 1. the population dynamics of earthworms, 2. Size of body pores on the skin of earthworms and the secretion of coelomic fluid and the 3. Physico chemical factors of the soil in the area surveyed. It was also found that the earthworm abundance was found to be greater in Meghamalai hills of Theni district compared to that of Sirumalai hills of Dindigul district but when the plains and hills of both the district were compared the earthworm population was found to be more in the plains. Atomic force microscopic studies were also made to measure the size of the body pores of the skin of earthworms of plains and hills. It was found that the number of body pores is more and their size is also larger in the earthworms of plain lands. As a result ceolomic fluid secretion was more. The coelomic fluid contains more than forty proteins and exhibits several biological activities and it supplements the soil with nutrients. Moreover, physical parameters of the soil samples of hills and plains such as rainfall and temperature and chemical parameters such as Ec, pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Boron, were found to be conducive for the growth and multiplication of earthworms in the soil of the plain lands than the hills. Hence, it can be concluded that the earthworm population has got its influence on soil fertility; the more the number of earthworms, more availability of coelomic fluid, which indirectly influences the fertility of the soil, enhances the economy of the nation and the world at large. In total the global worming suppresses global warming.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Research Centre of Zoology, Jayaraj Annapackiam College for Women (Autonomous), Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu, South India

  • Research Centre of Zoology, Jayaraj Annapackiam College for Women (Autonomous), Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu, South India

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