Australian Worm Growers Association - 1954 Bytes

Australian Worm Growers Association Vermiculture Inc
Dept of Fair Trading (Victoria) A0032907R

Earthworm Behaviour And Habitat

Earthworms have been classified by a variety of schemes, the most useful being those based on their behaviour and habitat. The classification of M. Bouche describes a worm species as occupying a level in the soil and indicates its feeding behaviour.

EPIGEIC (surface dwelling) types live at the surface in freshly decaying plant or animal residues.

ENDOGEIC types live within the soil and ingest soil to extract nutrition from degraded organic matter.

ANECIC types burrow deep in the soil but come to the surface at night to forage for freshly decaying residues.

This classification can be summarised in a triangular graph. A worm species will have some attributes of all three classes and will fit somewhere within the triangle and be classed according to how close it lies to one apex.

triang.gif - 2729 Bytes 


     EARTHWORM SPECIES             PASTURE  CROP ORCHARD GARDEN COMPOST

 

     Amynthas corticis                 -      -      ?      +      ?

   * Allolobophora chlorotica          +      -      -      -      -

   * Aporrectodea caliginosa           +      ?      +      +      -

   * Aporrectodea longa                +      -      -      -      - 

  ** Aporrectodea rosea                +      +      +      +      -

  ** Aporrectodea trapezoides          +      +      +      +      -

 *** Eisenia andrei(red tiger worm)    -      -      -      ?      +

 *** Eisenia fetida(tiger worm)        -      -      -      ?      +

 *** Eiseniella tetraedra              ?      -      ?      ?      ?

 *** Lumbricus castaneus               +      -      ?      ?      +

   * Lumbricus rubellus('true'redworm) ?      -      ?      ?      +

   * Lumbricus terrestris              ?      -      ?      -      -

  ** Microscolex dubius                +      +      +      +      ?

  ** Microscolex phosphoreus           +      +      +      +      -

   * Octolasion cyaneum                +      ?      +      ?      -

 *** Perionyx excavatus(Indian blue)   -      -      ?      ?      +



**** Native earthworms - 200+ species  ?      ?      ?      ?      ?



* found only in higher rainfall pastures or irrigated crops

** found in pastures and lower rainfall cropping soils

*** found mainly in damp organic wastes, compost

**** found mainly in native, undisturbed soils



Earthworms most commonly associated with land use and waste disposal in 

southern Australia.

Pasture = perennial and sown pastures.

Crop    = sown cereals, grain-legume & oil-seed crops.

Orchard = horticulture, includes fruit and vegetable and vineyards.

Garden  = domestic.



+ = common    

- = uncommon or absent

? = suitable habitat, occasionally present.



Buckerfield, J.C. (1994) Appropriate earthworms for agriculture

and vermiculture, Tech. Mem 2/1994, CSIRO Australia,

Division of Soils, Adelaide.
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