Sangha, G.K.Kulwinder Kaur2016-10-262016-10-262010http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/82272To study the effects of heavy metals on the growth and reproduction of the earthworm Eisenia fetida (Savigny), four different metal contaminated soil sites (viz. Chand Cinema, Sunder Nagar, Tajpur Road and Shivpuri) were selected to collect the soil samples and one uncontaminated sample of soil was collected from PAU campus. Heavy metals i.e. lead, cadmium and nickel were present in high concentrations in all the contaminated soil samples as compared to control uncontaminated sample of soil. Juvenile and adult earthworms were exposed for 11 weeks to uncontaminated and metal contaminated soil samples. In juvenile earthworms, high mortality was observed in contaminated soil sample of Tajpur Road and reduced growth was observed in contaminated soil sample of Chand Cinema. Moreover in juveniles longer duration to reach maturity was also recorded in soil sample of Sunder Nagar, in which lead and nickel were present in high concentrations. The effects of metal contaminated soils could be attributed both to the direct toxicity of the metals and to changes in the “scope for growth” of the exposed worms. In adult earthworms, survival was reduced in soil sample of Tajpur Road and weight was reduced in soil sample of Sunder Nagar. Low cocoon production and hatchling emergence was also observed for earthworms exposed to soil sample of Tajpur road as compared to control soil. Results of the study indicated that reproduction of E. fetida was more sensitive to metal exposure.enearthwormszoologyThesis