Earthworms enhance porosity as they move through the soil. Some species make permanent burrows deep into the soil. These burrows can persist long after the inhabitant has died, and can be a major conduit for soil drainage, particularly under heavy rainfall. At the same time, the burrows minimize surface water erosion. The horizontal burrowing of other species in the top several inches of soil increases overall porosity and drainage. Improve water-holding capacity.
By fragmenting organic matter, and increasing soil porosity and aggregation, earthworms can significantly increase the water-holding capacity of soils. Provide channels for root growth. The channels made by deep-burrowing earthworms are lined with readily available nutrients and make it easier for roots to penetrate deep into the soil.
Bury and shred plant residue. Plant and crop residue are gradually buried by cast material deposited on the surface and as earthworms pull surface residue into their burrows. A mixture of soil and organic matter within an earthworm burrow.
Earthworms incorporate large amounts of organic matter into the soil. Some worms live in permanent vertical burrows such as these. Others move horizontally near the surface, filling their burrow with casts as they move. Different species of earthworms inhabit different parts of the soil and have distinct feeding strategies.
They can be separated into three major ecological groups based on their feeding and burrowing habits. All three groups are common and important to soil structure. Surface soil and litter species — Epigeic species. These species live in or near surface plant litter. They are typically small and are adapted to the highly variable moisture and temperature conditions at the soil surface.
The worms found in compost piles are epigeic and are unlikely to survive in the low organic matter environment of soil. Upper soil species — Endogeic species.
Some species move and live in the upper soil strata and feed primarily on soil and associated organic matter geophages. They do not have permanent burrows, and their temporary channels become filled with cast material as they move through the soil, progressively passing it through their intestines.
Deep-burrowing species — Anecic species. They feed mainly on surface litter that they pull into their burrows.
They may leave plugs, organic matter, or cast excreted soil and mineral particles blocking the mouth of their burrows. Anecic species are deep burrowing and form permanent burrows that can extend several feet into the soil.
They mainly feed on surface residue that they pull back into the burrow. They plug the opening of the burrow with organic matter or worm casts. No-till and other conservation practices that increase plant residue and soil structure create ideal conditions that improve earthworm habitat. Having an abundance of earthworms is a good indicator of soil health. For more information on how you can increase earthworm population, please contact your local NRCS office or conservation district office located at your local county U.
More information is also available on the Kansas Web site at www. What did you think about it? We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website?
Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. Why are earthworms good for gardens?
What are castings? How do earthworm tunnels help plants grow? Scientist Charles Darwin once had this to say about the role of the lowly earthworm: "The plow is one of the most ancient and most valuable of man's inventions; but long before he existed, the land was in fact regularly plowed and still continues to be thus plowed by earthworms.
Wonder What's Next? Join us in Wonderopolis tomorrow for an ooey, gooey Wonder of the Day! Try It Out Are you ready to dig into some more information about earthworms? Be sure to check out the following activities with a friend or family member: It's time to get up close and personal with some earthworms! You can either take a trip to a bait shop to buy some or you can probably find some just as easily with a little digging in the backyard. Ask a friend or family member to help you find some earthworms and then spend some time observing them.
If you need some tips on how to find earthworms, read through the instructions in this Observing Worms activity. If you've never paid much attention to earthworms in the past, follow the directions and write down some of your observations.
To take your earthworm studies even further, consider building a Worm Condo or making Worm Food. You'll be able to observe earthworms doing the very things that make them such great gardeners! Share what you learn with a friend or family member. Isn't it amazing to think of all the earthworms hard at work below the soil? Want to get an early start on your next gardening project?
Over the course of a few months, you'll watch earthworms work their magic to produce healthy, fertile soil you can use in your garden! Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words grimy slimy castings bait plow roots compacted manure organic digest unique excrement phosphorus calcium nitrogen magnesium nutrients mulched Take the Wonder Word Challenge. Join the Discussion.
Mike Hawk Sep 17, Sep 18, They are, Mike! Thanks for stopping by! Emily May 24, May 29, They are! They're good for lots of things--besides fishing! Antonela Apr 22, When was the article created? Apr 24, Zuleyka Nov 28, New Zealand research shows that worm casts release four times more phosphorus than does surface soil. Worms often leave their nutrient-rich casts in their tunnels, providing a favourable environment for plant root growth. The tunnels also allow roots to penetrate deeper into the soil, where they can reach extra moisture and nutrients.
Earthworm tunnelling can help incorporate surface applied lime and fertiliser into the soil. Improved drainage The extensive channelling and burrowing by earthworms loosens and aerates the soil and improves soil drainage.
Soils with earthworms drain up to 10 times faster than soils without earthworms. In zero-till soils, where worm populations are high, water infiltration can be up to 6 times greater than in cultivated soils. Earthworm tunnels also act, under the influence of rain, irrigation and gravity, as passageways for lime and other material.
Improved soil structure Earthworm casts cement soil particles together in water-stable aggregates. These are able to store moisture without dispersing.
Research has shown that earthworms which leave their casts on the soil surface rebuild topsoil. One trial found worms built an cm thick topsoil in 30 years. Researchers also found that the most productive pastures in the worm trials had up to 7 million worms per hectare, weighing 2. There was a close correlation between pasture productivity and total worm weight, with some kg of worms for every tonne of annual dry matter production.
How to encourage earthworms Because earthworms do not like soil that is too acid, alkaline, dry, wet, hot or cold, their presence is a good indicator of soil conditions suitable for plant growth. Ensure soil pH CaCl 2 is above 4.
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