Title: The prolonged effect of salinity on growth and/or survival of earthworm Eisenia fetida

Authors: Ghasem Rahimi; Fatereh Karimi

Addresses: Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, 6517833131, Hamadan, Iran ' Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, 6517833131, Hamadan, Iran

Abstract: An experiment was conducted with specimen of Eisenia fetida exposed in the laboratory for 42 days using manure irrigated with NaCl solution. NaCl solutions were prepared with distilled water in the following concentrations: 0, 1,170, 2,340, 3,510 and 4,680 mgL⁻¹ with electrical conductivity of 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 dS/m respectively. Mortality and change in weight were assessed at day 3, 15, 21, 27, 33, 39 and 42. It is concluded that salinisation negatively affects survival and growth of earthworms. Result showed that salinity statistically had a significant influence on weight of earthworms (P < 0.05). The calculated LC50 and EC50 for mortality and growth after 42 days was 1.83 dS/m (1,069 mg/lit) and 6.82 dS/m (3,987 mg/lit) respectively.

Keywords: earthworm survival; salinity; earthworm growth; earthworms; Eisenia fetida; weight changes; EC50; LC50; manure; NaCl; sodium chloride; mortality.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2016.080263

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2016 Vol.18 No.1, pp.58 - 67

Received: 29 Oct 2015
Accepted: 25 Jun 2016
Published online: 09 Nov 2016 *

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