Summary: | This study assessed the suitability of seven species of soil invertebrates for toxicologically testing pesticides in water. Requirements were that the organisms must survive in water, be easy to handle, be easy to breed, be sensitive to pesticides, and show unambiguous toxicological effects. The organisms tested were the nematodes Plectus parietinus and Globodera rostochiensis, the white pot-worms Enchytraeus buchholzi and Enchytraeus albidus, the manure worm Eisenia fetida, the mite Caloglyphus mycophagus, and the springtail Folsomia candida. The springtail met all the requirements and proved to be the most suitable of the organisms tested for soil quality assessment with soil pore water.
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