Comments N193

Japan, May 22, 2002

The details of each section of the proposal are almost appropriate. It is right to use soil invertebrates as indicator for soil environment. One argument, however, would be that the species and biomass of such soil invertebrates vary according to the environment, climate, and seasons, and the normalization will be very difficult. We, however, appreciate for this proposal, because it will promote a general movement for the environmental normalization by addressing such principle.

The Other Comments:

In Japan, there are several methods to sample earthworms; hand-sorting, formalin extraction, and so on, however, none of them are authorized method. Mostly, hand-sorting is used.

(1) It is right to use earthworms as indicators for soil environment.

(2) Formalin extraction method will be unacceptable, because formalin itself is easily dissolved in water and spreads into the environment, with ending up poisoning aquatic lives and thus human.

(3) The others methods except for hand-sorting are not recommended because the other soil creatures will be disturbed as well.

(4) Only hand-sorting is recommended.

(5) All the other descriptions except for the sampling chapter are appropriate.

(6) Even if the sampling method is determined, the quatitative and definitive standards for biomasses and species of earthworms for different environments shold be described as well.

(7) The weight correction method, after the earthworms have been fixed for a long time, should be quantitatively defined instead of referring to the papers because of avoiding errors using different papers.