Effects of Biosolids at Varying Rates on Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) and Springtails (Folsomia candida)
Table 2
The effect of rate of Biosolid 1on Eisenia fetida adult mortality, body weight, and number of progeny when provided with cowdung as food or in the absence of dung (mean of 6 replicates, 10 worms per replicate).
Biosolid rate t ha−1
Worm No. pre-trial
Worm No. posttrial
Worm wt. g pre-trial
Worm wt. g posttrial
No. juvenile worms
Cowdung provided
0
10
10.0
0.3106
0.3311
68.2
2
10
10.0
0.2942
0.3202
95.2
5
10
9.8
0.2920
0.3404
81.0
10
10
10.0
0.3024
0.3773
32.3
20
10
9.8
0.3092
0.4735
0.0
sed
0.129
0.0115
0.0188
12.88
No dung
0
10
10.0
0.3102
0.2043
1.2
2
10
10.0
0.3121
0.2665
15.5
5
10
10.0
0.3162
0.3408
21.7
10
10
10.0
0.3060
0.4413
0.7
20
10
1.7
0.3025
0.3652
0.0
sed
0.3887
0.0173
0.0189
2.911
Dung effect (-value)
—
.254
<.0001
—
Biosolid rate effect (-value)
—
.963
<.0001
—
Mean value + cowdung
9.9
0.301
—
55.3
Mean value − cowdung
8.3
0.309
—
7.
onferroni grouping; values with different superscripts differ significantly. sed: Standard Error of the Difference between Means.