Abstract
The Enchytraeidae are an abundant and widespread group of Oligochaetes; most species are terrestrial but a few are commonly found in freshwater, some are confined to or are most abundant in wet peatlands and bogs and a number are marine and littoral. Some species commonly occur in large numbers and populations up to 300,000 m−2 have a significant effect on processes such as decomposition, especially in soils where earthworms are absent.
The most appropriate method for measuring production is considered to be the summation of the production of successive growth stages. To estimate production of C. sphagnetorum which is extremely abundant and widespread in temperate peatlands and which reproduces by fragmentation, the weights of individuals dying over a given time period were summed. The ratio of annual production to average biomass is also often used but different meanings are attached to it by different authors and several obstacles attached to its use are considered further. It may be possible, however, to establish patterns of life history type in relation to production. Data on life histories, longevity, growth and reproductive rate are given for several species and this, together with field estimates of density, indicates the scale of production by enchytraeids in certain temperate grassland and peatland habitats.
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© 1980 Plenum Press, New York
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Standen, V. (1980). The Production Biology of Terrestrial Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta). In: Brinkhurst, R.O., Cook, D.G. (eds) Aquatic Oligochaete Biology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3048-6_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3048-6_13
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