Estimating Numbers of Roundworms
Chapter 22: Worms and Mollusks

Many nematodes, or roundworms, live in soil. In fact, in a single shovelful of topsoil, you would find many free-living roundworms. You can estimate the number of roundworms in a sample of soil if you…

Try This

---

1. Assume that you dig up an area of moist topsoil measuring 10 cm wide, 10 cm long, and 10 cm deep. In this volume of soil, you find 50 roundworms.
2. Based on this assumption, estimate the number of roundworms that could inhabit a square plot of land 100 m on each side and 1 m deep. (Hint: volume = length ¥ width ¥ height)

Analyze Your Results

---

1. How would you distinguish these roundworms from other kinds of worms in a soil sample?
2. In a similar soil sample there would be fewer earthworms. Why might this be true?

TOP

Unit 6 Home Page