Do Armadillidium vulgare Break Down Soils and Alter pH to

Make a Desirable Living Condition?

Taryn Claassens
Harrison High School

BACKGROUND MATERIALS AND METHODS RESULTS

Global warming and its effect on soil and biodiversity have been widely associated with
Materials
expected changes in microbial diversity in soils leading to limits in plant growth through
• pH strips “Garden Tutor”
carbon loss and microbial decomposition (Crowther, et al. 2015). As the temperatures rise,
• Pipettes
fungi and bacteria levels rise and accelerate decomposition, leading to nitrogen and soil
• 83 Armadillidium vulgare (isopods)
imbalance rises (Cavicchioli, et al., 2019). Understanding the impacts of global warming • Baking soda (base Habitat C)
and the effects of runoff chemicals and fertilizers in soil on our current ecosystem is an
• Habitat cage containers
essential part of understanding future biodiversity on our planet. • Control containers
Decomposers in the soil have long been associated with stabilizing the soil and assisting Method(s)
in releasing nitrogen back into the atmosphere (D, 2020). Armadillidium vulgare, a top- SET UP
down decomposer, feeds on leaves, fungi, and other organic matter on the surface of the 1.
soil floor. Many studies on Armadillidium vulgare have focused on short-term behaviors,
stressors, disease, eating, digestion, and their ability to conserve moisture. There have
been few studies on Isopods and their ability to help regulate the soil where they are
found. 2.
Crowther, et al. (2015) studied the effects of Armadillidium vulgare in an opportunist role
when fungi become the dominant food source and how this helps regulate biomass on the 3.
forest floor, thereby having a positive effect on the nutrient cycles. This study aims to find
out if Armadillidium vulgare can change the pH of the soil they live in with the same 4.
organic matter across different soil types. Can Armadillidium vulgare alter the soil pH to
the ideal living conditions for their species to survive in the longer term? Can they break
down soils and adjust pH to make a desirable living condition. The purpose of this
5.
experiment is to learn how this species can change the soil and make the soil healthy
through their normal decomposition process. The goal is to better understand decomposers 6.
and their role in our environment and how they can benefit our planet given global
warming. 7.
Since stress plays a significant factor in the behavior of Armadillidium vulgare and their 8.
activity levels, this experiment will not focus on what is tolerable vs. intolerable for
Armadillidium vulgare in their environment. This experiment makes every effort to
remove additional stress to the subjects as much as possible and focus only on different
soil pH and the isopods' ability to adjust and potentially alter the pH in their habitat. The Experimental Set Up
food sources, moisture levels, temperature, and exposure to light will remain the same in
all habitats and will be consistent with terrestrial isopod's preferences.
Typical kinesis of Armadillidium vulgare
Habitat A: The experiment's control, yielded expected results in activity levels, food
consumption, and behaviors. There was a low mortality rate of four deaths over five
• Microscale set to grams
weeks, and the subjects were most active at night and less active during the day. The
• Carrots
Armadillidium vulgares' food consumption totals were consistent with their observed
• 3 types of soil mixed (neutral outdoor potting soil, organic soil, Sphagnum Peat Moss, succulent potting soil)
activity levels. The starting pH in both the control and habitat was 6.0. Fluctuations in pH
• Leaves collected outside (from ground)
were noted in both control and habitat. The control stayed within a -0.50 or +0.50 change
• Spray bottle filled with purified water
for the most part throughout the experiment. This fluctuation was expected due to the
consistent elements in both the control and the habitat. The pH in the habitat did go
through some significant changes, with an increase of +1.5 to +1.0 starting on the seventh
day. The difference in pH was interesting because it was expected to go down in pH rather
Create three habitat environments: than up in pH. The difference in pH held until the middle of the third week when the
a.) Habitat A - control environment – outdoor potting soil, Starting pH of 6.0. Add leaf. Mist initial environment with purified water from spray bottle to assure correct moisture. change dropped to 0.50 + or - when overall activity levels decreased in the habitat. During
b.) Habitat B - Sphagnum peat moss used to create highly acidic environment – starting pH of 4.0. Add leaf. Mist initial environment with purified water from spray bottle to assure correct moisture.
this time, the subjects were observed as burrowing, and there was a slight increase in
c.) Habitat C – mixed soil: succulent potting soil and organic soil with no additives used. Added tsp of baking soda mixed with water – created a high alkaline environment..
Add leaf. Mist initial environment with purified water from spray bottle to assure correct moisture. mortality.
Use a control of a duplicate mirrored environment (for each of the 3 environments) to measure that food source without the subjects, and to assist to record the pH of the environment and how that environment changes
in both places. Habitat B: This acidic habitat yielded a surprising result overall. Although factors that
may have contributed to some of this stress (lemon juice and exposure to indirect sunlight
Use a food source (carrot) as a strong indicator of how well they do (how much they are eating) to help measure activity and health. Cut carrot and measure on micro scale for starting weight in both habitat and control.
during the day) were removed in this experiment, it was still surprising that the results
The weight needs to be as close to equal as possible. Measure daily in afternoon on a micro scale from both habitat and control, record results.
yielded more activity overall than the control A environment. Although habitat A had what
Take soil samples from habitat and controls each separately. Take a sample of the soil from the habitat with a spoon from two places. Place in small glass container. Using a pipette and purified water, drop in 10-20 seemed like more periods of activity observed, the term is subjective and actual counts of
droplets of water (making sure soil is well saturated). Use a test strip from “Garden Tutor pH strips” and fully cover the strip for 30 seconds with the wet soil. Gently wipe excess soil off strip with tissue. Read the climbing and clustering activity show significantly higher levels of activity. Additionally,
sample strips on the back of the bottle to read the pH of environments daily (afternoon). Record results. the subjects in this habitat had less burrowing than other habitats until the last week. Food
consumption was the highest in habitat B. It was also noted that the mortality in the habitat
Add Armadillidium vulgare split between habitats. Habitat A – 27, Habitat B – 28, Habitat C – 28. was twelve deaths recorded over three weeks. The observed activity in the habitat dropped
The habitat observation will be observed for 5 weeks at 3 times daily (AM, Afternoon and PM). Data will be recorded to indicate behavior and stress, eaten food and pH changes (per directions) – data will be recorded.
off in the last two weeks, but the food source did show it was actively being eaten. There
were holes in the carrot centers on both sides. Given the overall amount of activity in this
During observation, note any deaths or molting. If an isopod is molting, return to habitat and record observation. If an isopod appears deceased, take it out and observe. If unsure, replace on to a leaf to observe later. habitat, it was also noticed that the pH went through the most change and maintained itself
When a death is confirmed, remove from habitat and record. at higher pH in the habitat. The starting pH in both the habitat and control was 4.0. The
control was expected to fluctuate 0.5 + or – as expected in all controls due to the same
Daily misting of habitats and controls to keep moisture levels the same. Keep habitats and controls inside house in a closed off dark environment. environment except the subjects. The difference between the habitat and control most often
was +1.5. Although the habitat went through its fluctuations primarily during week 2, it
most often was raised to 5 - 5.5 pH and stayed constant at that pH while the control stayed
between 3.5-4.0 pH. This difference is noticeable on the charts.
Habitat C: This was most certainly the least active environment, and the most stressed
All Photos taken by T. Claassens for Fig. 1-5 based on the mortality of 19 subjects with the highest amount in the last week of
observation. It was expected to be a stressful environment based on the pH of the soil
Set up with controls Tools of measurement Beginning to molt Later stage of molt Left over exoskeleton from molt
alone. Last year's experiment also observed a stressful habitat at this pH. However, other
factors (indirect sunlight during the day and temperature variations that resulted sunlight)
contributed to the death of the entire population. In this environment, as with the others, all
other preferred environmental factors for Armadillidium vulgare were left in place (dark
environment with a constant preferred temperature). The activity levels were very low in
comparison to the other habitats. The pH started at 9.0 for both control and habitat. No
change was noted in either the control or the habitat, except for a -0.5 fluctuation during
week 2. There was a slight increase in activity during that time in the evenings. Overall,
this group of Armadillidium vulgare had high levels of burrowing and clustering, yet they
Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 were observed as inactive the majority of the time they were counted. Given the level of
Totals tallied over 5 weeks for Results of Observed Behavior and Food Measurement inactivity, food was consumed at a much lower rate, and the pH did not change overall.
Activity Observed behavior
Although the subjects survived this environment overall, the mortality increased rapidly
Habitat Time of day inactive semi Active Roll up climbing on back clustering color change burrowing death Food
over the last three weeks, with the most observed deaths in the last week.
A - Control AM 24 10 1 61 87 39 697 1
A- Control Afternoon 13 21 1 50 112 39 703 -41.619
A PM 7 0 17 63 105 30 702 3

Figure 8: (Yau, 2016) Figure 1

B - Acidic
B- Acidic
B
AM
Afternoon
PM
18
20
13
13
11
11
4
4
13
86
65
60
111
102
147
1 66
56
60 1
552
596
546
4
3 -46.231
4
CONCLUSIONS
C - Alkaline AM 32 3 0 49 37 27 1 659 6
C - Alkaline Afternoon 33 2 0 49 42 1 17 658 7 -28.765
Anatomy of Armadillidium vulgare C - Alkaline PM 25 7 2 54 55 51 598 6
The results from all habitats prove that Armadillidium vulgare can alter the pH of the soil
Figure 6
if they are not stressed and maintain active to semi-active rates of activity. The most
significant change in pH was in habitat B. This habitat had an acidic environment with a
pH of 4. The subjects were very active in the environment above the surface, and the food
consumption indicated they were all actively eating and processing organic material. The
pH Fluctuations by Habitat
surprise change in the habitat resulted in the Armadillidium vulgare raising the pH in this
habitat to their most preferred pH of between 5-6.0 pH. Although the difference in pH was
10
the purpose behind the experiment, changes were expected to reduce pH due to urination,
breaking down organic matter, and feeding. It was a promising and exciting result to see
9 FOOD INTAKE PER HABITAT
the pH in B go up to the ideal living condition in the soil.
8
C - Alkaline The soil used in Habitat B was Sphagnum Peat Moss. This soil holds moisture well and
-25% contains low levels of micronutrients such as calcium. The moss does not include the full
7
spectrum of nutrients required for optimal living. It is theorized, based on the results, that
A- Control
-36% the isopods had to work hard to change the environment. The death rate is considerably
6
higher than the control A habitat, and it is assumed that the nutrient environment was not
5
suitable over an extended period. Terrestrial isopods frequently molt and are vulnerable
Figure 7:Image: (Villers-Golde, 2014) – modified and labeled by T.Claassens when this shell cannot form correctly after shedding. An acidic environment below 5.0 pH
4
lacks sufficient calcium (Pareek, 2017). In contrast, an environment at 9.0 or higher will
result in too much bacteria growth for optimal health (Pareek, 2017). Habitat C, with a pH
3 of 9.0, had a lot of black mold growth on the carrots within a day or two of placement in
Total fluctuations of pH

both control and habitat. Although successful molting was observed, Habitat C was also a
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN 2 stressful environment, and due to low activity rates and higher burrowing and
conglomeration, the pH was simply unable to change. It was also the environment with the
1 B- Acidic highest death rate, the soil pH most definitely affected survivability. Clearly, the
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 -41%
Figure 9 environment was not sustainable long term or even short term. It was a disappointing
Total number days of pH taken
observation to see the pH unchanged, but it made sense upon reflection. Armadillidium
Figure 8
C Hab C con B Hab B con A Hab A con vulgare can change its soil environment if it is not too stressed, and the soil is healthy
Expected outcome: Armadillidium vulgare were previously tested in very stressful soil and enough for the subjects to be active.
light conditions. The pH was observed neutralizing in the higher and lower soil conditions.
It is expected that the subjects will change the soil to meet their living conditions through Although the Armadillidium vulgare could change their environments to a more desirable
activity. pH when they did not shut down due to stress, long-term survivability will be affected if
they cannot balance the nutrient levels, and pH is one of the factors for stress. If
Research Question(s): Do Armadillidium vulgare change the pH of the soil that is less than Armadillidium vulgare find an environment stressful and revert to inactivity and
an ideal pH to make it suited to their natural habitat? Can we see if they can overcome conglomeration to cope; in that case, this experiment indicates they will not change the soil
known stressors to make the conditions more habitable? conditions and will eventually die off unless they have the mobility to find better locations.
CLIMBING: OBSERVED LEVEL OF ACTIVITY WHICH HABITAT IS MOST ACTIVE These results prove that isopods may need a more gradual transition to exhibit less stress
Hypothesis(es): As decomposers, Armadillidium vulgare will attempt to alter the soil that is
160
and to give them time to adapt. With further research, it may be possible to explore that
the most hostile to their natural soil state provided there is organic matter in the soil to assist Activity of Armadillidium vulgare during AM, Afternoon and PM 140
scenario.
in this decomposition. 35

120

REFERENCES
30

• Independent Variable – soil types (+additions baking soda) with initial pH. 100

• Dependent Variable – pH changes of the soil in each environment and their controls. 25
Total number of observed activity levels

• Constant Variable – Moisture levels, Food measured when placed. pH strips and 20 80
Total number of observed climbing activities

Cavicchioli, Ricardo, et al. "Scientists' Warning to Humanity: Microorganisms and Climate Change." Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 18 June 2019,
bottled water. Temperature is kept at room temperature 15
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-019-0222-5.

(65-degree F). 60
Crowther, Thomas W, et al. "Biotic interactions mediate soil microbial feedbacks to climate change." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United
• Controls – The main control habitat has a soil condition with neutral pH, constant 10
40
States of America vol. 112,22 (2015): 7033-8. doi:10.1073/pnas.1502956112

temperature and moisture levels. 5

D, Elizabeth. "What Is the Role of the Decomposers in the Nitrogen Cycle? "Composting Hub - Breaking down the Science of Composting." Composting Hub -
Breaking down the Science of Composting, 8 Oct. 2020, https://compostinghub.com/what-is-the-role-of-the-decomposers-in-the-nitrogen-cycle/.
20
0 Harding, L., & Hickey, T. (2016). Are Pill Bugs Being Stressed by Environmental Changes? Retrieved December 02, 2020, from
Each habitat has a control with the same soil conditions, pH and moisture levels AM Afternoon PM AM Afternoon PM AM Afternoon PM http://theclassicjournal.uga.edu/index.php/2016/03/23/are-pill-bugs-being-stressed-by-environmental-changes/
A - Control A- Control A B - Acidic B- Acidic B C - Alkaline C - Alkaline C - Alkaline 0
along with a food source placed in it but with no Armadillidium vulgare . This was inactive semi Active
AM Afternoon PM AM Afternoon PM AM Afternoon PM Pareek, Navneet. "Climate Change Impact on Soils: Adaptation and Mitigation." MOJ Ecology & Environmental Sciences, MedCrave Publishing, 12 June 2017,
https://medcraveonline.com/MOJES/climate-change-impact-on-soils-adaptation-and-mitigation.html.
done to assist in determining the rate of food consumption against decomposition Observed cages during times of day
A - Control A- Control A B - Acidic B- Acidic B C - Alkaline C - Alkaline C - Alkaline

and to compare changes in pH with natural breakdown. Figure 10

Observed cages during times of day
Smigel JT, Gibbs AG. 2008. Conglobation in the pill bug, Armadillidium vulgare, as a water conservation mechanism. 9pp. Journal of Insect Science 8:44, available
online: insectscience.org/8.44
Figure 11
Image citations

Yau, Kim. “Summer-Fall 2016: The Rollie Pollie: Earth Matter NY.” Earth Matter NY | The Art and Science of Composting, 27 Dec. 2016,
earthmatter.org/summer-fall-2016-the-rollie-pollie/.

Do Armadillidium vulgare Break Down Soils and Alter pH to Make a Desirable Living Condition? Villers-Golde, Ilze. “Pill Bug Rolling up Woodlouse - Armadillidium Vulgare.” Welcome to BugGuide.Net! - BugGuide.Net, 9 July 2014, bugguide.net/node/view/792661.