Are earthworms good for soil?
On One Hand: Earthworms Increase Minerals in SoilAccording to an article in “Countryside & Small Stock Journal,” earthworms are extremely valuable in maintaining soil fertility because “earthworm castings or manure are far richer in minerals than the soil which the earthworm ingests.”On the Other: Invasive Species Disrupt EcosystemsInvasive earthworm species (those not native to the local environment) can have a negative impact on ecosystems. An article in “The Journal of Young Investigators” reports that invasive Asian earthworms were harming forests in the eastern United States by “decimating the forest leaf litter layer, shifting nutrient cycles, and altering belowground fine root distributions and microbial dynamics.”Bottom LineNative earthworm populations are essential to maintaining fertile soil, thus allowing plants to grow and flourish. Any plot of soil will eventually be depleted of minerals without earthworms to eat the soil and excrete mineral-rich feces.Source:EarthwormDige
