Pedobiologia 47, 588–606, 2003 © Urban & Fischer Verlag http://www.urbanfischer.de/journals/pedo 0031-4056/03/47/05–06–588 $15.00/0 *E-mail corresponding author: dasp@ceh.ac.uk The 7th international symposium on earthworm ecology · Cardiff · Wales · 2002 A summary of eleven years progress in earthworm ecotoxicology David J. Spurgeon 1 *, Jason M. Weeks 2 and Cornelius A. M. Van Gestel 3 1 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monks Wood,Abbotts Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 2LS, UK 2 National Centre for Environmental Toxicology,WRc-NSF, Henley Road, Medmenham, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 2HD, UK 3 Institute of Ecological Science, Department of Animal Ecology, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Ams- terdam, The Netherlands Submitted September 6, 2002 · Accepted June 17, 2003 Summary The inception, ring-testing and standardisation of the acute earthworm toxicity test (OECD 1984), has been at catalyst for the emergence of earthworms as one of the key organisms in (environmental) toxicology. In recognition of this role, there have now been three International Workshops on Earthworm Ecotoxicology (Sheffield in 1991, Amsterdam in 1997 and Åarhus, in 2001). At each workshop delegates met to outline recent work and identify future priorities. At the end of each workshop, recommendations were drawn up both to act as a summary of current knowledge and as initiators for future re- search. In this paper we briefly review progress in respect of these recommendations. Overall, advances have been made in many areas.Test procedures for laboratory and field toxicity tests have been improved and diversified, thus allowing specific studies not covered by the original OECD (1984) procedure. Further, there is now improved understanding of factors that can modify the effects of chemicals in dynamic ecosystems and also of the mechanistic basis of toxicosis (although many uncer- tainties still remain in these areas). One notable area where progress has been slower is development of a linked earthworm ecotoxicology community. In particular recommendations to develop comprehensive databases have yet to be implemented. Key words: Toxicity tests, earthworms, lumbricidae During the past 11 years three International Work- shops on Earthworm Ecotoxicology (IWEE) have been held. The first in Sheffield, UK (IWEE I, Greig- Smith et al. 1992) in 1991; the Second in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (IWEE II, Sheppard et al. 1998) in 1997 and the most recent in Åarhus, Denmark (IWEE III) in Autumn 2001. At each workshop between 50 and 75 delegates drawn from industry, government and academia met to outline recent work and identify future research priorities. Interest in earthworm ecotoxicology can be traced back to one major event in the field, namely the incep- tion, ring-testing and international standardisation of the acute earthworm toxicity test (OECD 1984). This procedure, largely developed by Prof. Clive Edwards (1983), was designed to be included in the risk assess- Introduction