EARTHWORMS OF SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND AND THEIR AGRONOMIC.DOCVIP

EARTHWORMS OF SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND AND THEIR AGRONOMIC POTENTIAL IN BRIGALOW SOILS Robert John Blakemore, BSc.(Hons.); P.G.Dip. Computer Science (London). Thesis submitted in the Department of Zoology, University of Queensland, for the degree of Ph.D. 10th March, 1994.  ..of these lowly creatures, called earthworms, subject of a recent work in which Darwin has shown once more that small causes produce great effects. From an obituary written for Darwin by A. de Candolle (1882). (Darwin. Archives de Séances de la Bibliothèque Universelle, pp 481-495) quoted in Graff, O. (1983). Darwin on earthworms - the contemporary background and what the critics thought. In: J.E. Satchell (ed.), Earthworm Ecology from Darwin to Vermiculture Chapman and Hall, London. pp 5-18. ...nobody likes me, everybody hates me just cos i eat worms... Anon. Part of a childrens nursery rhyme. Declaration: the work presented in this thesis is original, to the best of my knowledge and belief, except as acknowledged in the text, and the material has not been previously submitted, either in whole or in part, for a degree at this, or any other, university. Signed: Robert J. Blakemore.  DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF MY GRANDPARENTS Doris Ellen Pallett Sydney Richard Blakemore  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Initial credit must go to Dr Bob Myers, who instigated the project, and to Professor BGM Jamieson, who agreed to be a supervisor. Shortly thereafter, Bob Myers followed opportunities overseas and passed the supervisory reins to Vic Catchpoole. In this role Vic has been a constant source of encouragement and consolation; not only has he kept the project on track and checked the reports he has also readily lent a hand. I wish to extend my thanks to the CSIRO scientists and staff at the Cunningham Laboratory who have provided me every assistance. Field work was made pleasurable through the kindly support of the folks at the CSIRO field stations: special thanks go to the station manager, Ke