1887

Abstract

SUMMARY

Actinomycetes and bacteria, but not fungi, increase rapidly in numbers during the passage of food through the worm gut. Enzymes produced by the worm rather than micro-organisms seem to be the main agents digesting cellulose and chitin. The rate that material moves through the intestine depends on whether the animal is feeding; food takes about 20 hr. to pass, but when burrows are being formed material passes in about 12 hr.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-31-1-1
1963-04-01
2024-04-26
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/micro/31/1/mic-31-1-1.html?itemId=/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-31-1-1&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Aichberger R. von. 1914; Untersuchungen über die Ernährung des Regenwurmes. Kleinwelt 6:53
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson H. W. 1917; Yeast-like fungi of the human intestinal tract. J. infect. Dis 21:341
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Barley K. P. 1959; Earthworms and soil fertility. IV. Influence of earthworms on the physical properties of a red brown earth. Aust. J. agric. Res 10:371
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Bassalik K. 1913; Über Silikatersetzung durch Bodenbakterien. Z. GärPhysiol. 2:1
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Chase F. C., Gray P. H. H. 1957; Application of Warburg respirometers in studying respiratory activity in soil. Canad. J. Microbiol 3:335
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Clarke P. H., Tracey M. V. 1956; The occurrence of chitinase in some bacteria. J. gen. Microbiol 14:188
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Conn H. J. 1921; The use of various culture media in characterizing actinomycetes. N.Y. Agric. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull 83:3
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Dawson R. C. 1947; Earthworm microbiology and the formation of water stable aggregates. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer 12:512
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Day G. M. 1950; The influence of earthworms on soil micro-organisms. Soil Sci 69:175
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Fisher R. A., Yates F. 1938 Statistical Tables for Biological Agricultural and Medical Research London: Oliver and Boyd;
  11. Hutchinson S. A., Kamel M. 1956; The effects of earthworms on the dispersal of soil fungi. J. Soil Sci 7:213
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Jensen H. L. 1940; Nitrogen fixation and cellulose decomposition by soil microorganisms. I. Aerobic cellulose decomposers in association with Azotobacter. Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S.W 65:543
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Khambata S. R., Bhat J. V. 1953; Studies on a new oxalate decomposing bacterium. Pseudomonas oxalaticus. J. Bact 66:505
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Khambata S. R., Bhat J. V. 1955; Flagellated coryneform bacteria from the intestine of earthworms. Arch. Mikrobiol 22:175
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Khambata S. R., Bhat J. V. 1957; A continuation to the study of the intestinal microflora of Indian earthworms. Arch. Mikrobiol 28:69
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Lochhead A. G., Burton M. O. 1956; Incidence in soil of bacteria requiring vitamin B12 and the terregens factor. Soil Sci 82:237
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Morgan W. T. J., Elson W. E. 1934; A colorimetric method for the determination of glucosamine and chondrosamine. Biochem. J 27:1824
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Nelson N. 1944; A photometric adaptation of the Somogyi method for the determination of glucose. J. biol. Chem 153:375
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Schmidt E. L., Ruschmeyer O. R. 1958; Cellulose decomposition in soil burial beds. I. Soil properties in relation to cellulose degradation. Appl. Microbiol 6:108
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Sinha R. N. 1958; Movements of food in the gut of some adult stored grain beetles. Canad. Entomol 90:202
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Snipes B. T., Tauber O. E. 1937; Time required for food passage through the alimentary canal o. Periplaneta americana (Linn.). Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer 30:277
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Tracey M. V. 1951; Cellulase and chitinase of earthworms. Nature, Lond 167:776
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Veldkamp H. 1955; A study of the aerobic decomposition of chitin by micro-organisms. Meded. LandbHoogesh. Wageningen 55:127
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Wedberg E., Clarke N. A. 1947; A simple method for controlled experimentation on the passage of micro-organisms through the digestive tracts of insects. J. Bact 54:447
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-31-1-1
Loading
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-31-1-1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error