Skip to content
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
2025-01-26
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]
/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