![]() ![]() Gardeners and farmers laud these lowly, often unseen creatures for their ability to break down organic matter, add nutrients to soil and improve aeration. In 1881, Charles Darwin published an entire book on earthworms, writing, “It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world. THOUSANDS OF EARTHWORM SPECIES have shaped the planet’s soil chemistry, plant communities and even the atmosphere itself over hundreds of millions of years. Photos by Kim Taylor/NPL (left) and DaveAlan/iStock/Getty Images Plus (right). ![]() Spreading through northern forests that evolved without earthworms, these animals can degrade forest soils and devour the seeds of trees and native plants such as trillium (right) that help support native wildlife. The widespread, invasive European earthworm (left) is distinguished by a dark band near its middle. Invasive earthworms are spreading across the planet-transforming soils, gardens, forests and entire ecosystems in ways that may make you squirm.
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