Why are worms one of the most important animals on the planet?

These percentages are equivalent to more than one 140 million tons of food per yearIt ranks fourth in the world rankings, with an amount similar to Russia’s production. The contribution of earthworms is particularly notable in the southern hemisphere: They contribute to 10% of total grain production in sub-Saharan Africa and 8% in Latin America and the Caribbean..

Relevant role of worms (family) Lumbricidae) in various ways in plant growth; However, its contribution to global agricultural production has not been quantified until now.

A team of researchers from Colorado State University in the United States conducted an in-depth analysis of the effects of these annelids on the body. Global production of major cropsMaps of earthworm abundance, soil properties and crop yield are analyzed, as well as answers from the scientific literature on the performance of these animals.

This team’s findings measure, for the first time, the contribution of a beneficial soil organism to global agricultural production. “Although the impact of the worms is considerable, we doubt that other soil biota may be equally important. More studies are needed,” say the authors of the study published in the journal ‘Nature Communications’.

Sustainability and durability

“To be clear, We do not advocate widespread inoculation of worms in areas where they are not currently found, as this could lead to undesirable ecological consequences. for adjacent natural areas,” say the researchers.

“Instead, we recommend investing in ongoing research and Promoting agroecological management practices that enhance entire soil biological communitiesTo support a wide range of ecosystem services that contribute, including worms sustainability and durability agriculture in the long term,” they emphasize.

Study clarifies that worms help settlehealthy soil“, supporting plant growth in various ways: creating a good soil structure, catch water and helping the useful organic matter turnover This makes nutrients more available to plants.

Other studies have previously found that worms They facilitate the production of hormones that stimulate plant growth and help protect them against pathogens. common land. Some guesses that worms can increase overall plant efficiency by approximately 25%.

Three researchers, Steven Fonte (lead author), Nathan Muelle, and Marian Hsieh, estimated the contribution of earthworms to global food production by overlaying and analyzing maps of earthworm abundance, soil properties, fertilization rates, and crop yields.

Regarding their greatest impact in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Fonte considers it “likely” that earthworms contribute more in those regions “because farmers there have less access to resources.” fertilizers and pesticidesInstead, they rely more on earthworm-rich organic matter such as manure and crop residue, which helps increase the beneficial effect of these animals on plants.

Reduce drought and erosion

“Worms contribute so much to these areas that we have less chemical input“, emphasizes the main author. Researchers analyzed the effects of worms in four grain crops: rice, corn, wheat and barley, as well as a number of legumes that include soybeans, peas, chickpeas, lentils and alfalfa, among others.

Fonte believes this Soil biodiversity has historically been undervalued and said he hopes this study will draw more attention to how. Healthy soils can have positive and tangible effects on crops.

“If we manage our lands more sustainably, we can better take advantage of this biodiversity, or use and produce better. more sustainable agricultural ecosystems. “This study highlights this potential,” says the researcher, noting that other recent research also shows: Soils hold half of the world’s biodiversitya significant increase of approximately 25% over previous estimates.

“Soil is a very complex habitat, but there have been very few efforts to actually understand what this biodiversity means for the global performance of our crops,” he explains.

The information these researchers uncover may have implications for future efforts. Reduce drought and erosion. Fonte gives an example: “Earthworms improve the porosity of the soil, helping to beneficially capture and retain water.“.

Advocates for better management of soil biology to increase agricultural productivity and reduce dependence on agricultural chemicals. “Soils are a huge black box that we still don’t fully understand,” Fonte admits. “This study helps show that there are many opportunities that we are ignoring,” he adds.

“There are other soil organisms that are probably even more important, especially microbial communities“Fonte concludes.

Reference work: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41286-7

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Contact address of the environmental department:krisclimatica@prensaiberica.es