Does metal contamination affect clonal diversity of the parthenogenetic earthworm Dendrobaena octaedra?

Clonal diversity of the parthenogenetic earthworm Dendrobaena octaedra was studied in three metal contamination gradients in Finland. Metal concentrations in soils (both total and bioavailable fractions) and in earthworm tissues were analysed at each sampling site. Allozyme electrophoresis was used to determine clonal diversity and several genetic diversity measures were used to evaluate differences between populations at metal contaminated and uncontaminated sites. Cu and Zn in the soils and in the earthworms increased with decreasing distance from the emission sources in all areas. Metal contamination appeared to affect clonal diversity of D. octaedra only slightly, since clonal diversity…

Effects of soil metal contamination on genetic diversity of the earthworm Dendrobaena octaedra (Savigny) in three metal contaminated areas in Finland