Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the substrate-specific feeding behavior and decomposition efficiency of Armadillidium vulgare on diverse cellulose-based litters, with a focus on its potential role in sustainable organic waste management. Individuals of A. vulgare were collected from agricultural fields and gardens in the Amedi and Zaxo regions of Dohuk Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan. In a controlled laboratory environment (25°C, 80% relative humidity), isopods were exposed to four types of cellulosic litters: banana peels, maize leaves, wood chips, and stiff paper. Five replicates of eleven individuals each were maintained per litter type for 14 days. Individual consumption measures, such as overall consumption, per capita consumption efficiency, and percentage of overall decomposition, were measured by the use of gravimetric measures. ANOVA was used to arrive at significant differences in substrates by conducting statistical analyses. The level of efficiency in consumption differed greatly among substrates (P < 0.05). Banana peels were the most efficiently consumed with the total of 44.11 g, 0.80 mg/capita efficiency, and the decomposition of 98.02%, it was then by maize leaves (40.69 g, 0.73 mg, 90.42 %), wood chips (37.14 g, 0.67 mg, 82.53 %) and the stiff paper (25.83 g, 0.46mg, 57.4 %). Variations in consumption patterns were influenced by substrate softness, nutrient composition, and structural complexity, rather than cellulose content alone. A. vulgare has distinct feed selectivity, which shows significant prospects as a bio-agent to be employed in decomposing soft and high-nutrient-content organic waste. The given findings emphasize its ecological importance in the nutrient cycles, soil fertility increase, and show the applicability of the species in the implementation of sustainable waste management and composting systems. The future research ought to explore the long-term dynamics of decomposition, the activity of digestive enzymes, and the interaction of the gut microbiome in order to maximize its application in the recycling of organic waste.