Open AccessDie invloed van ouderdom op die komposterings - koers van organiese materiaal deur Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta)
Author(s) -
Editorial Office
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
suid-afrikaanse tydskrif vir natuurwetenskap en tegnologie/die suid-afrikaanse tydskrif vir natuurwetenskap en tegnologie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2222-4173
pISSN - 0254-3486
DOI - 10.4102/satnt.v14i4.621
Subject(s) - eisenia fetida , vermicompost , population , zoology , oligochaeta (plant) , toxicology , environmental science , biology , earthworm , ecology , nutrient , demography , sociology
One of the main objectives of a vermicomposting plant is to achieve a maximum composting rate of organic waste. Apart from population densities, substrate characteristics and environmental factors, age structure of the population is expected to affect the rate of composting. The composting rate of worms was studied in the laboratory under optimal conditions over a period of 55 days. Growth and sexual maturity were monitored as well as the composting rate during various stages of the life-cycle of Eisenia fetida. The composting rate was initially slow and reached a maximum peak when the worms were pre-clitellate