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Table 1 Ecological categories and niches of earthworms and their characteristic features and beneficial traits

From: Microbial diversity of vermicompost bacteria that exhibit useful agricultural traits and waste management potential

Species

Ecological category

Ecological niche

Characteristic features

Beneficial trait

Eisenia foetida,

Epigeics

Superficial soil layers, leaf litter, compost

Smaller in size, body uniformly pigmented, active gizzard, short life cycle, high reproduction rate and regeneration, tolerant to disturbance, phytophagous

Efficient bio-degraders and nutrient releasers, efficient compost producers, aids in litter comminution and early decomposition

Lumbricus rubellus,

    

L. castaneus,

    

L. festivus,

    

Eiseniella tetraedra,

    

Bimastus minusculus,

    

B. eiseni,

    

Dendrodrilus rubidus,

    

Dendrobaena veneta,

    

D. octaedra

    

Aporrectodea caliginosa,

Endogeics

Topsoil or subsoil

Small to large sized worms, weakly pigmented, life cycle of medium duration, moderately tolerant to disturbance, geophagous

Brings about pronounced changes in soil physical structure, can efficiently utilize energy from poor soils hence can be used for soil improvements

A. trapezoides,

    

A. rosea,

    

Millsonia anomala,

    

Octolasion cyaneum,

Polyhumic endogeic

Top soil (A1)

Small size, unpigmented, forms horizontal burrows, rich soil feeder

 

O. lacteum,

    

Pontoscolex corethrurus,

Mesohumic endogeic

A and B horizon

Medium size, unpigmented, forms extensive horizontal burrows, bulk (A1) soil feeder

 

Allolobophora chlorotica,

    

Aminthas sp.

Oligohumic endogeic

B and C horizon

Very large in size, unpigmented, forms extensive horizontal burrows, feeds on poor, deep soils

 

L. terrestris,

Anecics

Permanent deep burrows in soil

Large in size, dorsally pigmented, forms extensive, deep, vertical permanent burrows, low reproductive rate, sensitive to disturbance, phytogeophagous, nocturnal

Forms vertical burrows affecting air-water relationship and movement from deep layers to surface helps in efficient mixing of nutrients

L. polyphemus,

    

A. longa

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