Les modalités d’adaptation des lombriciens à la sécheresse

Abstract

Earthworms have mostly an aquatic physiology. Consequently, they are very susceptible to the dry season, so typical of the mediterranean climate. This climate has been acting on a pool of species populations of contrasted paleontologic origins by resultant pedoclimatic conditions. Morpho-functional adaptations dealing with organs, physiology or drought resistance behaviour lead to interprete the distribution of these adaptations in the mediterranean area considering big range variations from the limicolous forms of the muddy banks of the Nile river to the exclusion of earthworm in very dry areas. Adaptation types to drought are described. Ó 1993 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. © 1984 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.