Pontoscolex corethrurus explained

Pontoscolex corethrurus is an earthworm in the genus Pontoscolex. It has a circumtropical distribution, although it originates in the Neotropics, probably in the Guiana Plateau.[1]

Description

The worms are unpigmented and have around 200 segments. Adults measure 5cm-10cmcm (02inches-00inchescm) in length.[1]

Reproduction

It reproduces both parthenogenetically and (rarely) sexually,[2] and under experimental conditions can complete its life cycle in about one year.[1]

Ecology and habitat

The worm thrives in difficult environments with poor nutrition.[3] It is key to emergence of agriculture in the Amazon Basin, where soil is extremely poor. It may have facilitated the formation of terra preta.[3]

On the other hand, the worm's adaptability has allowed it to spread to many disturbed tropical areas, especially urban sites and industrially-farmed areas.[3] It is now considered an invasive species in many parts of the world.[4] [5] An endogeic worm creating globular casts, it is considered responsible for soil compaction in sweet potato fields, in maize fields, and in Amazonian pastures newly converted from forest. This ecosystem engineering also makes it harder for native species to return to their original habitat.[6]

Decontamination

Pontoscolex corethrurus is useful in bioremediation. Studies including Ferreira et al., 2021 find that they combine synergistically with biochar.[7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Buch . Andressa Cristhy . etal . 2011 . Life cycle of Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857) in tropical artificial soil . Pedobiologia . 54 . S19–S25 . 10.1016/j.pedobi.2011.07.007.
  2. Dupont . L. . Decaëns . T. . Lapied . E. . Chassany . V. . Marichal . R. . Dubs . F. . Maillot . M. . Roy . V. . Genetic signature of accidental transfer of the peregrine earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Clitellata, Glossoscolecidae) in French Guiana . European Journal of Soil Biology . November 2012 . 53 . 70–75 . 10.1016/j.ejsobi.2012.09.001 . However, Gates [8] observed that copulation may be completed by some individuals, suggesting that biparental reproduction might be possible in P. corethrurus. Such outcrossing events might restore genetic variability in populations..
  3. Ortíz-Ceballos . Angel I. . Ortiz-Gamino . Diana . Andrade-Torres . Antonio . Pérez-Rodríguez . Paulino . López-Ortega . Maurilio . Pontoscolex corethrurus: A homeless invasive tropical earthworm? . PLOS ONE . 20 September 2019 . 14 . 9 . e0222337 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0222337. 31539381 . 6754163 . free .
  4. Marichal . Raphael . etal . 2010 . Invasion of Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae, Oligochaeta) in landscapes of the Amazonian deforestation arc . Applied Soil Ecology . 46 . 3 . 443–449 . 10.1016/j.apsoil.2010.09.001. 84810586 .
  5. Web site: South American species invades; native earthworms struggle to survive. 南美種壓境 本土蚯蚓處境艱難 . 環境資訊中心 (Environmental Information Center, Taiwan) . 23 May 2022 . zh-TW . August 6, 2013.
  6. Book: Lavelle . Patrick . Barot . Sebastien . Blouin . Manuel . Decaëns . Thibaud . Jimenez . Juan José . Jouquet . Pascal . 5 Earthworms as key actors in self-organized soil systems . Theoretical Ecology Series . 2007 . 4 . 77–I . 10.1016/S1875-306X(07)80007-4. 9780123738578 .
  7. 2022 . . Hou . Shuyu . Wang . Jue . Dai . Jun . Boussafir . Mohammed . Zhang . Chi . 255290441 . 10.1007/s42832-022-0158-y . Combined effects of earthworms and biochar on PAHs-contaminated soil remediation: A review . Soil Ecology Letters (SEL) . 5 . 2 . 2662-2289 . free .

    This review cites this research.

    2021 . . Ferreira . Talita . Hansel . Fabricio Augusto . Maia . Claudia M.B.F. . Guiotoku . Marcela . Cunha . Luís . Brown . George G. . . 233850488 . 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146147 . 146147 . Earthworm-biochar interactions: A laboratory trial using Pontoscolex corethrurus . 777 . 0048-9697 .