Earthworms are the megafauna of the belowground and some of our most important ecosystem engineers.
Preliminary data from Wytham Woods, UK, suggest that earthworms across the woods have a combined biomass of around 13 tonnes – roughly equivalent to four adult Asian elephants!
And they are busy!
Each year, earthworms in Wytham ingest an estimated 2 tonnes of leaf litter and an astonishing 42 tonnes of soil per hectare.
Through their constant movement, ingestion, and processing of soil and organic matter, earthworms help drive nutrient cycling, decomposition, and the formation and maintenance of soil structure – processes that underpin the functioning of the woodland ecosystem.
They may spend most of their lives hidden beneath our feet, but their impact is anything but hidden.
So spare a thought for the earthworms today — admire their work, leave them be, and remember: two halves don’t make two earthworms!
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