Hazards of chemicals to earthworms

Abstract

AbstractWhile great strides have been made in recent years regarding water quality criteria and hazard assessment of chemicals in the aquatic environment, the same is not true for the terrestrial ecosystem. This results in part from the magnitude of the problem and, perhaps, to some degree, from an attitude held by some that animals dwelling in and on the land can better cope with environmental stress than can their aquatic counterparts. Indeed, this sometimes may be the case, but results of our studies with the earthworm Eisenia foetida suggest otherwise. This organism is extremely susceptible to the toxic action of many common pesticides and other chemicals, and there is good evidence that this species is among the more hardy of all the earthworms. Although many facets of the terrestrial ecosystem must be addressed with regard to chemical hazards, practicality dictates that emphasis be directed toward specific organisms representing a given segment of the terrestrial population. This article discusses the vital role of earthworms in the environment and why they are particularly useful as test organisms, and summarizes chemical toxicity data obtained in laboratory and field investigations.