|
Home page
Image gallery
Project:
Home
Background
Synopsis
Quality assurance
References
|
Project objectives:
To undertake detailed investigations of specific aspects of the A.
triangulatus biology identified as critical to the understanding of
the establishment and development of populations in new areas and to the
risks posed following introduction into a specified environment by:
- Quantifying survival of egg cocoons at high and low temperatures
leading to the establishment of exact temperature tolerances.
- Designing and implementing a series of experiments to
establish and quantify the effect of moisture levels on the survival of
adults and egg cocoons leading to a more accurate definition of
tolerance levels.
- Undertaking experiments to investigate possible ameliorating effects
of behavioural (e.g. movement in the soil) or physiological (e.g. mucus)
responses on NZF survival under extreme environmental
conditions.
- Using a range of soil pH regimes, identified by previous work,
design and implement experiments to establish effects on
survival/population development within this range.
- Undertaking further molecular studies to investigate and draw
conclusions on the relative importance of cross and self-fertilization
in A. triangulatus reproduction.
- Extending (to a second and third year) the manipulative field
experiment investigating the co-existence of earthworms with high,
medium and low densities of A. triangulatus.
- Continuing the detailed monitoring of A. triangulatus
populations in both east and west Scotland to provide the field data
essential for the confirmation and accurate interpretation of the
results of the above experiments. In addition, to add to the existing
datasets in order to provide policy makers with robust information on
populations in Scotland.
|