Ten new species of semi-aquatic earthworm genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 are described from several river systems in Thailand. The earthworms were all found at a depth of 5?15 cm from the surface in wet top soil and usually near casts. The worms excrete casts on the soil surface by locating the tails up to the soil surface while the heads go down to deeper soils. They have the peculiar expanded epidermis at about clitellum position called ?wings? which function is still unknown. They produce long cocoons wich locate vertically in the soil in the same places as the worms. One cocoon produces 7-10 juveniles. All the ten new described species appear to be highly endemic to particular watershed with very little range overlap between them, and most are confined to a small region. The lowland paddy systems in Thailand have been colonized by some species of Glyphidrilus, where they occur in the rice paddy throughout the propagation period (wet season) from planting of the seedlings to post harvest (dry season). The worms did well in areas of organic farming and so are likely to be sensitive to modern agrochemical contamination of the environment.

Terrestrial Earthworms (Oligochaeta: Opisthopora) of China summarizes the results of the classification of terrestrial earthworms in China and provides detailed and authoritative information. The content is classified according to the classification system of Sims and Easton. Each earthworm is described in detail from existing data sources and includes descriptions of external morphological characteristics, internal morphological characteristics, body color and distribution. This book is a useful resource for researchers and practitioners in the field of systematics, phylogeny, biodiversity, soil invertebrate zoology and ecology. Covers over 370 species of earthworms Describes the source of each kind of earthworm, their main classification features, and distribution Discusses the differences between similar earthworms Includes accompanying figures on the typical characteristics of each earthworm

Earthworm Ecology, Second Edition updates the most comprehensive work available on earthworm ecology with extensive revisions of the original chapters. New chapters analyze the history of earthworm research, the importance of earthworms as representatives of soil fauna and how they affect plant growth, the effects of the invasion of exotic earthworms into North America and other regions, and vermiculture and vermicomposting in Europe.This well-illustrated, expansive study examines the important and often overlooked impact earthworms have on the environment. It discusses the impact of climate, soil properties, predation, disease and parasitism, and competition upon earthworm ecology.

It is generally recognized that where earthworms are abundant they can exert significant influence on the structure and function of soils. Compared to other biogeographic regions of Earth, however, surprisingly little is known about the earthworm fauna of the western hemisphere and their role in soil processes. This book is the first comprehensive review and analysis of the state of understanding of earthworm biogeography and ecology in North America. Topics of in-depth discussion include earthworm systematics, biogeography and ecology, influences on soil structure and ecosystem nutrient dynamics, and implications for ecosystem management. Each chapter provides a general review and statement of current understanding, an assessment of current research problems, recent developments and advances, and priorities for future research and applications. This book is a must for researchers and students studying the soil-related facets of terrestrial ecology.