Earthworms are just as surprising today as they have been throughout history. Earthworms contribute to essential services like acting as a soil aerator, decomposing fallen leaves and animal carcasses, and creating the soil that plants need to grow. Earthworms also deposit their castings in areas where they live (building worm casts), which serve as excellent sources of nitrogen for plant growth. Earthworm castings not only help plants grow, but also help to break down organic matter in soils, helping to build strong mineralized horizons and improve water quality by decreasing pollution from decaying vegetation. Buy wormspore is an earthworm’s skin and is one of the reasons why earthworms can live in extremely harsh conditions.
In extreme environments and in times of stress, an earthworm will actually shed its outer skin to help protect itself from predators and from external damage. Earthworms are a keystone species because they have a major effect on the environment that surrounds them. By burrowing through soil, these tiny creatures aerate it, which allows for roots to grow freely. The holes that they create in the soil also serve as drains for water flow during heavy rains. In addition, by eating decaying plants, animals and other particles rich in nutrients, they disperse those minerals throughout their environment.
Seven Things You Most Likely Didn’t Know About Earthworms :
1. The Earthworm Has a Secret Society.
The earthworm has amazing survival skills, but perhaps the most unusual is that it can reproduce without being fertilized by a male. This means that two individual earthworms can actually come together and form a hermaphroditic egg sac, which produces both male and female offspring. The newly born worms are referred to as Megascolecids, and they possess both male and female sex organs. It’s certainly an unorthodox way of reproducing, even from the perspective of the invertebrate world.
2. Earthworms Are Probably the Most Important Reptile in the World.
Almost all of our land is underlain by earthworm burrows, and they have been buried for millions of years. They make an important contribution to land conservation as well as our quality of life by aerating soil and breeding beneficial bacteria that help break down organic matter in the soil, allowing it to be used to grow plants. Additionally, earthworms help to prevent erosion by creating a hard surface layer that inhibits water from flowing into gullies, banks and other areas where it could cause devastating erosion.
3. Earthworms Can Eat Anything Moving or Stillborn Living Animals Found on Land.
Earthworms can eat anything, including birds, mammals, fish and even other worms! They are able to eat this way because of the many internal organs that they possess. Earthworms are considered to be the most important animal in preventing erosion. Burrows created by earthworms (worm casts) act as dams for water flow, reducing erosion of soil and making land more stable.
The burrows also improve soil quality by creating a hard surface layer that prevents moisture from seeping into gullies rather than flowing off. Worms increase the plant’s ability to obtain nutrients from the material it eats by excreting fecal pellets containing nitrogen and carbon, both of which are essential for healthy plants. Worm castings also provide organic matter and nutrition to the soil, thus improving its ability to retain moisture and prevent erosion.
4. Composting Worms Are Not Necessarily Earthworms!
Composting worms are able to break down both animal and vegetable matter into a nutrient-rich compost that is invaluable for establishing root systems in soil. Composting worms (often maggots or scarabs) also produce amazing amounts of nutrients for plant growth which are difficult for plants to obtain from decaying organic matter alone.
5. Earthworms Can Live Underground For More Than 100 Years!
Earthworm species can generally live for over a century underground, longer than their surface counterparts (which usually live about five years). This long lifespan is due to the fact that earthworms contribute to land conservation by burying animal carcasses and other organic matter, helping to break down this waste into parts that can be used by plants. Earthworms may be considered very slow moving, but with their massive bodies, they are able to absorb both oxygen and food from the soil.
6. Earthworms Can Be Named After Every Town in the Country!
Every town in America has at least one worm species that is named after it. This is because every time an earthworm is discovered, it is given a scientific name and the same goes for the town. Aside from being called a “native” earthworm, this species can also be called Geomys bursarius if it’s the first to be identified in a town.
7. Worms Are Wonderful Pets.
While you may not want to bring an earthworm into your home as a pet, there are many myths about worms that are actually untrue. They are great in the garden, both for aerating the soil and producing beneficial nutrients, and they are also environmentally friendly.
Worms play an important role in maintaining healthy soils by eating decaying matter that would otherwise pollute our natural environment and contaminate our food. They also provide an excellent source of protein to those who raise them and eating earthworms has been said to be good for one’s health.
