An experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of chlorantraniliprole and fipronil on the bacterial population of gut of Eisenia fetida and its vermicast. Thirty adult earthworms were exposed to chlorantraniliprole-and fipronil-treated cow dung in 30 L capacity tub. Enumeration was done by spread plate technique and the bacteria were identified on the basis of morpho-biochemical characteristics. Studies revealed that E. fetida survived even after the exposure to high concentration of chlorantraniliprole and fipronil, perhaps due to the presence of tolerant bacteria in the earthworm’s gut. The chlorantraniliprole and fipronil largely affected the bacterial population in earthworm's gut and its vermicast. Chlorantraniliprole proved more harmful than fipronil. Maximum reduction in total viable tolerant bacterial colonies in earthworm gut and vermicast was 2.42 and 2.95%, respectively, when exposed to the mixed concentration of chlorantra-niliprole and fipronil (5.00 and 8.34 mg kg^-1, respectively). Overall, the vermicast had more tolerant bacterial colonies than the gut of E. fetida.

This paper presents the evaluation of air quality in different districts of Haryana. Geo-spatial techniques were used to estimate gaseous and particulate pollutant's spatial and temporal variation during complete nationwide lockdown period and same month of previous year 2019 (March to May). Data of six fixed pollutants were collected from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In this context, the data of air pollutants (PM₁₀, PM_2.5, O₃, NOx, SO₂, and CO) were analyzed for 2019 and 2020. The Spatio-temporal distribution of the Air Quality Index (AQI) clearly depicts difference in lockdown and unlock period. The result was showed that the air quality was very poor to satisfactory in 2019 and an improvement was observed from satisfactory to good in 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdown. On the basis of result, it will be concluded that automobile and industry are the major contributor in increase the pollutant concentration.

The term ecosystem engineering focuses on how organisms physically change the abiotic environment and how this feeds back to the biota. Charles Darwin was the first naturalist who studied the role of the earthworms and their ecosystem services. Darwin’s last publication on earthworms gave the role of earthworms in global bioturbation. Darwin also used the word ‘friend of farmer’ and ‘nature ploughman’ for the earthworm because of its important role in the soil ecosystem. In modern ecological theory, bioturbation is recognised as ‘ecosystem engineering’. They are called as ecosystem engineers due to their different ecosystem services which cause the physical, chemical and biological changes in the soil. This review highlights the different ecological services provided by the earthworms that make them ecosystem engineers as said earlier by Darwin.