Importance of Worms

The importance of worms. Dr. Mary Stromberger, Professor of Soil Microbiology at Colorado State University outlines the role of worms in the soil. "When people think about the ecosystem services that earthworms provide, we talk about the ability for earthworms to decompose organic matter. There are many earthworms that feed off organic residues at the surface of the soil, decaying plant material and they bring that material down into the soil so they help incorporate organic debris, to help break it down and degrade it and get rid of that waste material. Earthworms also live in burrows in the soil. These boroughs affect water movement in the soil and water flow through the soil. In burrowing through the soil, earthworms create these large pores that allow precipitation, either melting snow, ice or rain, to infiltrate into the soil and move downward. The boroughs go vertically and horizontally so water moves downward and sideways throughout the soil profile. So the boroughs of the earthworms have a very important effect on the abilities for soils to capture rainwater and store it.