Quantitative investigations of the food of two terrestrial enchytraeid species (Oligochaeta)

Preferential utilization of protein from bacteria, fungi and different plant material by two enchytraeid species was investigated. For this purpose bacteria and yeasts were labelled by addition of 35 S-methionine to the growth medium, and incorporation of this protein was directly shown by Liquid Scintillation Counting. Utilization of plant material was demonstrated by feeding the animals mixtures of labelled microorganisms and unlabelled plant material, the level of radioactivity thus indicating the uptake of the unlabeled component. (…)