Biology of Earthworms - Edwards, Wilfrid Norman; SpringerLink (Online service) (New York, NY : Springer US : Imprint: Springer, 1977)
1. Morphology -- 1.1 Segmentation: external -- 1.2 Chaetotaxy -- 1.3 Genital and other apertures -- 1.4 The clitellum and associated structures -- 1.5 Pigmentation -- 1.6 The body wall -- 1.7 The coelom -- 1.8 The alimentary canal -- 1.9 The vascular system -- 1.10 The respiratory system -- 1.11 The excretory system -- 1.12 The nervous system -- 1.13 The reproductive system -- 2. Taxonomy -- 2.1 Systematic affinities and descent -- 2.2 Families, genera and species -- 2.3 Geographical distribution -- 3. Biology -- 3.1 Life cycles -- 3.2 Reproduction -- 3.3 Quiescence, diapause and aestivation -- 3.4 Growth -- 3.5 Behaviour -- 4. Physiology -- 4.1 Respiration -- 4.2 Digestion -- 4.3 Excretion -- 4.4 Circulation -- 4.5 Nervous system -- 5. Ecology -- 5.1 Estimation of populations -- 5.2 Size of populations -- 5.3 Population structure -- 5.4 Population distributions -- 5.5 Seasonal populations and activity -- 5.6 Burrowing and casting -- 5.7 Species associations -- 5.8 Predators and parasites -- 5.9 Effect of environmental factors -- 6. The role of earthworms in organic matter cycles -- 6.1 Fragmentation and breakdown -- 6.2 Consumption, turnover and humification -- 6.3 Nitrogen mineralization -- 6.4 Effects on the C:N ratio -- 6.5 Effect on available mineral nutrients -- 7. Earthworms and micro-organisms -- 7.1 Effect of earthworms on number of microorganisms -- 7.2 Effects of earthworms on dispersal of microorganisms -- 7.3 Stimulation of microbial decomposition -- 8. Earthworms and soil fertility -- 8.1 Effects of earthworms on soil structure -- 8.2 Earthworms as indicators of soil type -- 8.3 Effect of earthworms on crop yield -- 8.4 Soil amelioration by earthworms -- 9. Effects of agriculture on earthworm popu lations -- 9.1 Effects of cultivations -- 9.2 Effects of cropping -- 9.3 The effects of fertilizers -- 9.4 Mortality from pesticides -- 9.5 Uptake of pesticides into earthworms -- 9.6 Radioisotopes and earthworms -- 9.7 Heavy metals and earthworms -- 10. Earthworms as pests and benefactors -- 10.1 As pests of crops -- 10.2 As pests of grassland and turf -- 10.3 Control of earthworms -- 10.4 Transmission of diseases -- 10.5 Adverse effects on soil -- 10.6 Earthworms as benefactors -- 11. Simple experiments and field studies with earthworms -- 11.1 Cultures -- 11.2 Preservation -- 11.3 Dissection -- 11.4 Field experiments with earthworms -- A simplified key to common genera of terrestrial earthworms -- References -- Indexes -- Systematic -- Author -- General.
Keywords: Invertebrates; Invertebrates; Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, multidisciplinary