Differential Engagement of Fermentative Taxa in Gut Contents of the Earthworm Lumbricus terrestris.

ABSTRACT: The earthworm gut is an anoxic, saccharide-rich microzone in aerated soils. The apparent degradation of diverse saccharides in the alimentary canal of the model earthworm Lumbricusterrestris is concomitant with the production of diverse organic acids, indicating that fermentation is an ongoing process in the earthworm gut. However, little is known about how different gut-associated saccharides are fermented. The hypothesis of this investigation was that different gut-associated saccharides differentially stimulate fermentative microorganisms in gut contents of L. terrestris This hypothesis was addressed by (i) assessing the fermentation profiles of anoxic gut content microcosms that were supplemented with gut-associated saccharides and (ii) the concomitant phylogenic a

SUBMITTER: Meier AB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5812936 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature