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14 December 2019 Saturday
Diversity, abundance and tissue mineral composition of indigenous earthworm species of sawmills of Abeokuta, South-Western Nigeria
Abstract :The
influence of earthworm’s environment on its biology needs to be well
understood. This study investigated the impact of sawmilling activities on the
diversity, abundance and mineral composition of the tissues of earthworm
species in Lafenwa, Sapon, Isale-Ake and Kotopo sawmills of Abeokuta (7o9’12’’N-3o19’35’’E).
The arboretum of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta was used as
control. Earthworms were sampled in the morning hours from four random samples
of 25x25x30cm and carefully counted. Weight of the earthworms was taken and tissues
mineral composition determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Average population of
earthworms were significantly higher (P<0.05) (140–516 earthworms/m2)
in the sawmill soils than in the soil of the control site (96 earthworms/m2).
A total of five earthworm species were identified from the study locations. Mean weight
of adult E.
eugeniae from Sapon (1.18g) and Kotopo (1.21g) sawmills
were significantly higher than that of the control site (0.92g). K and Na were
higher in the tissues of earthworms from Sapon sawmill. Significantly lower (P<0.05) Ca and Mg concentrations were recorded in the tissues of E.
eugeniae from the control site compared to those of Kotopo and Sapon
sawmills. Sawmilling activities is therefore not totally detrimental to
earthworms’ habitation
Earthworm
species, population density, sawmill, tissue minerals, diversity, soil,
environment