• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.112-119
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• 1998

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of bulking agents including cow manure, saw dust and rice straw in the ripening of leather sludge for vermistabilization. The changes of the waste properties for ripening time for 50 days were observed according to the various mixture ratios of leather sludge and bulking agents. The pH values of the mixture wastes were decreased from 7.5-8.0 to 6.4-7.3 with the ripening time for 50 days, and it was indifferent of the mixture ratio and type of the bulking agent. The initial value of oxidation-reduction potential(Eh) of the mixture waste was a negative(-)value indicating an unfavorable condition for earthworm life, but the values of Eh were increased with the ripening time. The increase rate of Eh value was proportional to the mixture ratio of bulking agents, but the increase rate for saw dust was higher than that of the cow manure and the rice straw. The value of alkalinity was also changed into the favorable range for earthworm after 50 days except for 10% of the mixture ratio of the bulking agents. When the mixture ratios of the bulking agents were increased from 10% to 40%, the growth characteristics of earthworms were increased from 31.7% to 95% for the survival rate, 103% to 225% for the liveweight increase rate and 32% to 91% for hatching rate of the cocoons. It can be concluded that the proper content of the bulking agents in the leather sludge to ensure effective vermistabilization was over 30%, when the mixture was ripened during 50 days. The contents of heavy metals in the ripened sludge were lower than the other regulatory standards for compost.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 1991

Floristic cmposition and soil properties were analyzed in chines cork oak(quercus variabilis)cmmunities in the limestone area, tanyang, ch'ungbuk province in korea. The tree layer was composed of quercus dentata, platycarya strobilacea, fraxinus rhynchophylla and others as wel as quercus variabilis. the shrub layer was dominated by ulmus davidiana for. suberosa,shrubby q. variabilis. euonymus alatus and rhus chinensis. among these, u. davidiana for. suberosa was known to have a restricted distribution to calcareous area, and 9 species in the shrub layer including e. alatus, indigofera kirilowii and rhamnus davurica belonged to the calcicole. The herb layer was dominated by carex lanceolata and spodiopogen cotulifer. ten specirs including g. lanceolata, clematis mandshurica, isachne globosa, lithospermum arvense and scabiosa mansenensis belonged to the calcicode. soil texture was classified to clay loam in both top and subsoil. Water cotent and organic matter were consistentl higher in top soil than in subsoil. soil ph rangd 7.8~8.4. Total n concentration in top soil ranged from 0.2 to 0.4mg/g, which was higher than that in subsoil. Available p and exchangeable k concentretion were also significantly higher in op soil than in subsoil. However, exchangeable ca concentration was similar betweenthe top and the subsoil. Unlike the other nutrients, exchangeable mg concentration in top soil was lower than that in subsoil. orangic matter, n, p and k content in this chinese cork oak stand showed as much as the other noncalcareous sites. Soil properties in this study area seemed to have been influenced by casts forming activities of earthworms.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.305-308
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• 2004

Recently, with increasing concern for sustainable agriculture and safe agricultural products, organic farming has become widely adapted as an alternative to conventional farming. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of earthworm casts (EWC) with $100\%$ organic compost on the growth and yield characteristics of fall-cropping potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Dejima) in Jeju. The treatments consisted of seven plots: 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-ton $ha^{-1}$ EWC-treated plots, 1.2-ton $ha^{-1}$ complex fertilizer $(N-P_2O_5-K_2O,\;10-10-14)-for-potato$ (CEP)-treated plot as conventional practices, and a control plot. The plant heights were greater in the plots where EWC and CFP were applied than in the control plot. Tuber diameter, number of stems per plant, and chlorophyll level tended to increase in the plots where 8-10 tons $ha^{-1}$ of EWC were applied. The application of CFP and EWC showed an increment in the average tuber weight per plant, but there was minimal significant difference. The application of 8-10 tons $ha^{-1}$ of EWC resulted in an increase in the total tuber yield (21.61-21.87 tons $ha^{-1}$) as compared to the other plots. The highest yield of market able tubers was $69.8\%$ of the total yield from the 10-ton $ha^{-1}$ EWC-treated plot. Consequently, with regard to the growth and yield characteristics of fall-cropping potato, the effects of EWC application were more favorable than the effects of the application of a chemical fertilizer.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.259-266
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• 1993

This experiment was carried out to the effect of population densities on the growth reproduction, cast production of the earthworm and chemical composition of worm casts. The population densities of 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 individuals of the earthworm fed with cow manure was studied in rearing box($6,400cm^3$) and fertility stage during a period of 60 days. The results were summarized as follows 1. Survival rates(SR) of the earthworms had significantly positive correlated with increasing rate(IR). But, survival rates(SR) and increasing rate(IR) had significantly negative correlated with reproductive efficiency(RE). 2. The ranges of optimum population densities estimated were $42.7cm^3-128.0cm^3/worm$. 3. The cast production estimated were 36.5mg-80.9mg/day/worm grown in optimum population densities(50-150 worms/$6,400cm^3$). 4. The earthworm castings are an excellent soil conditioning material with a high chemical composition and their physical properties.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2012

This study was carried out to evaluate the ecotoxicological effects of Alum and Ferric chloride on the population of Eisenia fetida in vermicomposting of sewage sludge. Using contact filter toxicity test, it was shown that LC50 of Alum and Ferric chloride on adult Eisenia fetida were 457.4 mg $kg^{-1}$ and 1,665.2 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively,which meant Ferric chloride had much higher acute toxicity on earthworm than Alum. Alum didn't affect on cocoon production, hatchability and number of hatched larvae of Eisenia fetida. Ferric chloride didn't have any efects on number of hatched larvae per cocoon, but reduced cocoon production and hatchability. Larval density of next generation was reduced by the food containing Alum and Ferric chloride. Above results indicated that the Alum and Ferric chloride could be one of the hazardous materials that made extinction of earthworm population when the sewage sludge treated with Alum and Ferric chloride was supplied to the earthworms.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.99-126
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• 2013

Amynthas diffringens (Baird, 1869) is deemed valid yet comparable to A. corticis (Kinberg, 1867) and to A. nipponicus (Beddard, 1893) or A. peregrinus (Fletcher, 1896). Its syntypes tend to more genital markings than usual as shown for variable specimens from Japan, Korea, and Australasia that comply genetically with either of two A. corticis spp. groups. A. diffringens type-locality was UK hothouses yet closest specimens appear in part of A. heteropodus (Goto & Hatai, 1899) (=A. corticis) from Japan. Japanese Amynthas divergens (Michaelsen, 1892) is restored based on its serrate intestinal caeca. Meanwhile, the lectotype of Amynthas pingi (Stephenson, 1925) is deemed a synonym of A. carnosus (Goto & Hatai, 1899) compliant with Kobayashi's (1936) types III & II. Erstwhile A. pingi synonym A. fornicatus (Gates, 1925) is again included, but A. hongkongensis (Michaelsen, 1910) and A. chungkingensis (Chen, 1936) are provisionally retained whilst A. carnosa lichuanensis Wang & Qiu, 2005 is given separate species status. A new Korean taxon is proposed as A. carnosus naribunji sub-sp. nov. and two replacement names are provided: A. zhuya nom. nov. for homonym A. montanus Qiu & Sun, 2012 from Hainan and A. yizhou for A. carnosus sensu Shen et al., 2005 from Taiwan. No attempt is made to fully resolve numerous Japanese synonyms of A. carnosus [eg Ishizuka's (2001) invista, subterranea, subalpina, umbrosa, mutabilis, nubicola, plus A. nonmonticolus Blakemore, 2010] nor Korean synonyms [eg kyamikia Kobayashi, 1934, monstrifera Kobayashi, 1936 and murayamai Kobayashi, 1938, sangyeoli, youngtai (with segments miscounted), kimhaeiensis, sinsiensis and baemsagolensis - all names by Hong & James (2001) plus ?A. sangumburi Hong & Kim, 2002 (its segments miscounted too)] also A. fuscus Qiu & Sun, 2012 from Hainan and Taiwanese monsoonus James et al., 2005 plus A. penpuensis Shen et al., 2003 and A. taiwumontis Shen et al., 2013 syns. nov.. All synonyms remain in the currently defined A. carnosus pending full revisons although several may eventually comply with parts of prior A. corticis s. lato.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.115-118
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• 1986

This study was carried out to obtain an information for the earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) as total lipid, three lipid classes and their fatty acid compositions. Total lipids of earthworm consisted of 35.14% of neutral lipids, 41.74% of glycolipids and 23.12% of phospholipids. A wide variety of fatty acid esters ranging from $C_{10}\;to\;C_{22}$were identified and lower fatty acids than $C_{10}$ detected but not identified. In the neutral lipid, the major fatty acids were lauric acid, oleic acid, myristic acid and caproenoic acid. The fatty acid composition in the glycolipid was specific, so caproic acid content was 25.8% and unknown lower fatty acids than that were 23.22%. In the phospholipids, the major fatty acids were oleic acid, caproic acid, linolenic acid and behenic acid. Unsaturated fatty acid contents in the phospholipids were higher than in the neutral and glycolipids.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.97-106
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• 2010

Earthworm, a prominent ecosystem engineer within many terrestrial ecosystems, can exert profound influences on various abiotic/biotic environments through bioturbation processes such as burrowing, casting and mixing of litter and soil. In this study, we investigated how the presence or absence of earthworm (Oligochaeta) can alter the soil physico-chemical conditions and ultimately the distribution and abundance of Collembola which constitutes a large proportion of the soil fauna. During September 2010, soil organisms along with soil samples were collected from randomly installed 20 plots in Mt. Gwan-ak. We examined the differences in the abundance of Collembola among plot samples in respect to the presence/absence of earthworm and soil physico-chemical conditions (i.e., pH, $PO_4^{3-}$, $NO_3^{2-}$, organic matter (OM), electrical conductance and water content). Analysis of soil physico-chemical environment revealed a significantly higher organic matter content and electrical conductance in plots with earthworm compared to plots without earthworm. Abundance of Collembola were not only higher in plots with earthworm than in plots without earthworm, but were also positively correlated with availability of OM present in the environment. The results suggest that positive impacts of earthworm on the abundance of Collembola in this study may have been due to their ability to effectively modify soil physico-chemical conditions favored by Collembola. Such conspicuous influence of earthworm's activity on below-ground community suggests their potential significance in forest restoration or revegetation process.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.15-54
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• 2013

Surveys on Jeju-do (Quelpart Isl.) unearthed about 40 earthworm species or sub-species. Several considered new to science are described. Only a dozen were previously known and these are taxonomically reviewed. The two most commonly recorded in surveys by S. Kobayashi in the 1930s were Drawida anchingiana Chen, 1933 and Metaphire quelparta (Kobayashi, 1937), neither recently relocated. Morphologically similar taxa, supported with DNA barcodes, for Moniligastridae, are Drawida anchingiana seogwipo, D. anchingiana halla and D. iucn spp. or sub-spp. nov. For Megascolecidae, new taxa and synonyms are: Amynthas arx and A. aucklandis spp. nov. that have seminal grooves rather than the eversible male pores of Metaphire plus Amynthas simplex is another new species. Amynthas sangumburi Hong & Kim, 2002 is recognized as a probable new synonym within the A. corticis (Kinberg, 1867) species-group while Amynthas corticis saeseum sub-sp nov. is described. Amynthas gracilis (Kinberg, 1867) is a new record from Jeju and Korea (with A. bouchei, A. omodeoi and A. edwardsi all by Zhao & Qiu, 2009 possible synonyms of this species group from China) with a Jejuan sub-species, A. gracilis insularum, sub-sp. nov. Presence on Jeju of Amynthas carnosus (Goto & Hatai, 1899) is confirmed (its further new synonyms are Chinese A. fuscus Qiu & Sun, 2012 and A. taiwumontis Shen et al., 2013), as is A. micronarius (Goto & Hatai, 1898) (with new synonym A. montanus Qiu & Sun, 2012 also an invalid secondary homonym). Amynthas phaselus maculosus (Hatai, 1930) is in new combination with A. kamitai (Kobayashi, 1934) and A. minjae Hong, 2001 syns. nov. Two newly described Metaphire quelparta sub-spp are M. q. seogwipo and M. q. valhalla these being supported with DNA barcodes despite the nominal taxon not yet being confirmed.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.45-53
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• 2010

Feeding rate and growth rate of earthworm population on the variously pretreated spent materials of the agaric-mushroom cultivation were investigated. When the spent mushroom substrates with different aging periods were supplied to earthworm, feeding rate and growth rate of earthworm population on spent mushroom substrates aged less than 10 days were higher than that on spent mushroom substrates aged more than 20 days. Feeding rate and growth rate were not increased when the spent mushroom substrate mixed with vermicasts or nitrogenous fertilizer was supplied. Feeding rate and growth rate on the ground mushroom substrate were higher than that on the non-ground mushroom substrate. Especially when the ground mushroom substrate was mixed with rice bran and supplied to earthworms, growth rate was much higher than that on the non-ground spent mushroom substrate; it increased 1.85 times.