Abstract
As early as 1881, Darwin observed that earthworms could readily distinguish between leaves of various plant species. A detailed study of earthworm food preferences by Satchell and Lowe (1967) established that Lumbricus terrestris L. had a strong preference for leaves of elm (Ulmus spp.), ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanusi), whereas leaves of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and oak (Quercus spp.) were disliked. A positive preference was also shown for weathered litter as opposed to unweathered. They also investigated certain chemical and physical factors of the leaves which might have influenced feeding preference and found that the content of nitrogen, soluble carbohydrates and polyphenols could be broadly correlated with leaf palatability.
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© 1983 Chapman and Hall Ltd
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Cooke, J. (1983). The effects of fungi on food selection by Lumbricus terrestris L.. In: Satchell, J.E. (eds) Earthworm Ecology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5965-1_32
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5965-1_32
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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