Sci Rep 1

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL
SCIENCES
Visca, Baybay City, Leyte PHILIPPINES
Telefax: +63 53 563-7536; Local 565-0600 loc. 1019
Email: dbs@vsu.edu.ph
Website: www.vsu.edu.ph
Name: Kristofer E. Balais. Date performed: September 29, 2022

Course & Year: BS in Biology, 3rd Year Date submitted: October 6, 2022
Osmoregulation in Lumbricus sp.
INTRODUCTION
Osmoregulation is an organism’s ability to process and regulate its external and internal
fluids’ osmotic pressure and the balance of electrolytes in their environment (byjus.com, 2021). It is
also a means to maintain the homeostasis of the organism.
There are two kinds of organisms that osmoregulate, namely, the osmoregulators and the
osmoconformers. Osmoregulators are organisms in which they continually regulate their body’s
osmotic pressure, regardless of their surrounding environment. This includes us humans and most
freshwater fishes. While osmoconformers are referred to as organisms that match the osmolarity of
the environment they are in, Simply, these organisms make the osmotic pressure in their body and that
of their external environment the same (Earthworm – Excretion and Osmoregulation, n.d.). One of
the most common osmoconformers is earthworms, as they just allow their bodies to tolerate changes
as they are exposed to differing salinity of water and changes in soil.
Organisms like earthworms constantly face various changes in their environment, may it be in
the soil or the amount of water they are exposed to. They are also, at all times, exchanging water and
nutrients in their habitat by means of excretion and extracting nutrients from decaying matter. Thus,
without a mechanism that regulates these changes, there is a tendency for them to accumulate toxic
waste and water, which might or can have negative impacts on their bodies (Lumen Learning, n.d.)
Objectives
The experiment aims:
1. To explain responses of Lumbricus to varying moisture conditions and solute concentrations.

2. To describe the ion concentration and volume controlling mechanisms occurring in both
osmoregulating and osmoconforming organisms.
Scope and Limitations of the Experiment
The experiment only focuses on the immersion of Lumbricus sp. to various salinity of water,
and soil set up.
METHODOLOGY
The methodology was referred from Unfolding the Mystery of Life – Biology Lab Manual for
Non Science Majors (Genovesi et al., 2019).
The experiment required 20 Lumbricus sp., or earthworms. Then, the specimens were placed
and rolled gently on dry paper towels so as to remove all the debris attached to the specimens. They
were immersed in a deep container of water for at least two hours.
Four sets of four water solutions with varying salinities were then prepared. Each is labeled as
0 M, 0.05 M, 0.1 M, and 0.25 M, respectively.
SCIENCES
After being submerged in tap water, the worms were divided into four smaller groups, each
with five worms. Each group has been weighed and placed in the containers with the untreated and
salt-treated water in them, one group each.
They were again submerged in tap water and weighed twice after 15 minutes and and 30
minutes, respectively.
The animals have been weighed per group every 20 minutes for six times. After the last
interval of time, the weights of all four groups were also recorded.
Following that, the worms that were submerged in the 0M or untreated distilled water were
taken out and put in a tray with extremely dried soil. The soil was dried in a high-temperature
laboratory furnace, taking away all the moisture or water in it. The worms were then weighed six
more times at 20-minute intervals. The weight of the worms after the last interval was also recorded.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This section contains the yielded results from the conducted experiment along with the
discussion of data and results of the experiment.
As stated that prior to the experiment, the earthworms was first submerged in an untreated tap
water. Table 1 shows the yielded results in terms of the weight of the earthworms of soaking them in
water for two hours. This would be the initial data where the changes in the earthworms’ weights will
be measured.
Group 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Average

1 1.59 g 1.60 g 1.59 g 1.59 g
2 1.61 g 1.62 g 1.60 g 1.61 g
3 1.46 g 1.48 g 1.49 g 1.48 g
4 1.92 g 1.95 g 1.93 g 1.93 g
Table 1: Weights of pre-soaked worms for 2 hours.
PRE-SOAK FOR 2 HOURS

2.5
2
AVERAGE WEIGHT (g)
1.5
0.5
0
1 2 3 4
WORM GROUPS
Figure 1: Pre-soaked worms in tap water for 2 hours.

SCIENCES
After the initial weighing, the worms were immersed again in tap water twice, (1) for 15 minutes and
(2) for 30 minutes. Table 2 and 3 shows the recorded weight, respectively. From this, varying results
can be distinguished. There had been an apparent change in weight in all groups, except for group 3
after the 15-minute submersion. This shows the mechanism of the earthworm to adjust its internal
environment to match up with its external environment; in this case, the varying water conditions.
Thus, the change of its weight.

1 1.65 g 1.68 g 1.65 g 1.66 g
2 1.64 g 1.59 g 1.61 g 1.61 g
3 1.52 g 1.54 g 1.54 g 1.53 g
4 2.19 g 2.14 g 2.10 g 2.14 g
Table 2: Weights of soaked worms for 15 minutes.
SOAK FOR 15 MINS.

2.5
2
AVERAGE WEIGHT (g)
1.5
0.5
0
1 2 3 4
WORM GROUPS
Figure 2: Worms soaked in tap water for 15 minutes.

1 2.05 g 1.85 g 1.87 g 1.92 g
2 1.73 g 1.69 g 1.71 g 1.71 g
3 1.49 g 1.53 g 1.56 g 1.53 g
4 2.54 g 2.43 g 2.49 g 2.49 g
Table 3: Weights of soaked worms for 30 minutes.
SCIENCES
SOAK FOR 30 MINS.

3
2.5
AVERAGE WEIGHT (g)
1.5
0.5
0
1 2 3 4
WORM GROUPS
Figure 3: Worms soaked in tap water for 30 minutes.

Table 4 shows the rate of change and difference in weights of the earthworms while being submerged
into different concentrations of saline solutions. It is evident that the rate of weight loss is much faster
as the concentration increases.
Intervals (20 mins.)

Concentrations 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
0M 1.85 g 1.72 g 1.72 g 1.75 g 1.79 g 1.80 g
0.05 M 1.84 g 1.61 g 1.60 g 1.63 g 1.62 g 1.63 g
0.1 M 2.04 g 1.88 g 1.82 g 1.81 g 1.78 g 1.77 g
0.25 M 1.38 g 1.12 g 1.09 g 1.11 g 1.18 g 1.15 g
Table 4: Weights of soaked worms in different concentrations of NaCl solution.
SOAKED WITH TAP WATER

3
2.5
AVERAGE WEIGHT (g)
1.5
0.5
0
1 2 3 4
WORM GROUPS
TIME INTERVALS:
2hrs. 15 mins. 30 mins.
Figure 4: Worms soaked in tap water in different time intervals

SCIENCES
Table 5 shows the yielded weight of the group of worms submerged in 0M water and transferred to an
extremely dry soil. The decrease in weight apparent the longer the worms stayed in the set up.
Intervals (20 mins.)

Concentrations 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
0M 1.45 g 1.21 g 0.97 g 0.86 g 0.82 g 0.78 g
Table 5: Weights of worms placed in dry soil.
SOAKED IN DIFFRENT CONCENTATIONS OF NaCl SO-

LUTION
2.5
2
WORM WEIGHTS (g)
1.5
0.5
0
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
INTERVALS (20 mins.)
CONCENTRATIONS:
0M 0.05 M 0.1 M 0.25 M
Figure 5: Worms soaked in different concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) solution in 20 minutes
interval for six times.
WORMS PLACED IN SOIL

1.6
1.4
1.2
WORM WEIGHTS (g)
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
INTERVALS (20 mins.)
Figure 6: 0M NaCl worms placed in extremely dry soil in 20 minutes interval for six times.
SCIENCES
One of the adaptive mechanisms that Lumbricus sp. possesses is its ability to osmoregulate.
Osmoregulation refers to an organism’s maintenance of its homeostatic balance of water and its
surrounding environment (Britannica, n.d.). This includes earthworms, osmoconformers at that. While
osmoconformer is a seemingly different term, it is just a more specific classification of an organism’s
ability to osmoregulate. This is the ability to make their internal fluids isotonic to their environment
and maintain a similar internal salinity (Science Direct, n.d.).
The weight changes in the group of worms apparently suggest that these animals adjust
themselves to different environmental situations, such as changes in the volume of their water, the
concentration of water, and the level of moisture in their environment.
From the first set up, the submersion of the earthworms, the increase in weight has been
evidently observable. This could have been for the reason that, as the level of water volume increases,
they have also adjusted themselves to match the water volume and breathe in oxygen in the water so
as for it not to suffocate. From this also, we can infer that during heavy rainfall, earthworms would be
commonly seen on top of the soil, which could be a means of their survival too, as once it reaches its
limit, they need to go out of their burrows for them not to suffocate.
In the next set up, where the worms were submerged in the saline solutions for two hours, a
decrease in weight was observed in the first interval, unlike in the first set up. However, there were
only minimal changes in weight from the second interval onwards. This shows that salt draws out
moisture imbedded in the earthworm's body; thus, the loss in weight.
The last set up yielded a huge change in terms of the working weight. The weight, as
measured per 20-minute interval, has decreased drastically. This is for the reason that earthworms’
environments must always be naturally damp or moist, and without the moisture leads them to dry out
and even die.
Among the different set-ups, it can be inferred that the 0M water set-up was the most isotonic
among others, as it yielded the least changes among others.

SCIENCES
REFERENCES
Britannica. (n.d.). osmoregulation | biology. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved October 6, 2022,
from https://www.britannica.com/science/osmoregulation
BYJU’S. (2021, March 22). Osmoregulation. BYJUS. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://byjus.com/biology/osmoregulation/
Earthworm_excretion. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://cronodon.com/BioTech/Earthworm_excretion.html
Genovesi, E., Blinderman, L., & Natale, P. (2019, July 6). 4.3: Osmosis. Biology LibreTexts.
Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://bio.libretexts.org/Learning_Objects/Laboratory_Experiments/
General_Biology_Labs/Unfolding_the_Mystery_of_Life_-_Biology_Lab_Manual_for_Non-
Science_Majors_(Genovesi_Blinderman_and_Natale)/04%3A_Cell_Membrane_Biology/
4.03%3A_Osmosis
Lumen Learning. (n.d.). Need for Osmoregulation | Biology for Majors II. Retrieved October 5, 2022,
from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-biology2/chapter/need-for-osmoregulation/
Science Direct. (n.d.). Osmoconformers. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/osmoconformer#:
%7E:text=Osmoconformers%20are%20organisms%20that%20keep,From%3A
%20Encyclopedia%20of%20Ecology%2C%202008

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DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL

Name: Kristofer E. Balais. Date performed: September 29, 2022

Osmoregulation in Lumbricus sp.

1. To explain responses of Lumbricus to varying moisture conditions and solute concentrations.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Group 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Average

PRE-SOAK FOR 2 HOURS

Figure 1: Pre-soaked worms in tap water for 2 hours.

Group 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Average

SOAK FOR 15 MINS.

Figure 2: Worms soaked in tap water for 15 minutes.

Group 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Average

SOAK FOR 30 MINS.

Figure 3: Worms soaked in tap water for 30 minutes.

Intervals (20 mins.)

SOAKED WITH TAP WATER

Figure 4: Worms soaked in tap water in different time intervals

Intervals (20 mins.)

SOAKED IN DIFFRENT CONCENTATIONS OF NaCl SO-

0M 0.05 M 0.1 M 0.25 M

WORMS PLACED IN SOIL

Britannica. (n.d.). osmoregulation | biology. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved October 6, 2022,

Earthworm_excretion. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2022, from

Retrieved October 5, 2022, from

Science Direct. (n.d.). Osmoconformers. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from

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