Earthworms – the well-known earthworm – had already attracted the attention of Darwin who devoted a volume of work to them… Their incredible benefits are finally slowly becoming a major subject. Consider that their ability to stimulate plant growth is unparalleled, their presence in the soil increases harvests by 25%, to match the millions invested by industrial agriculture to increase harvests by 1-2%. Even more impressive, the yield can be increased by 300% if it is also combined with plant residues and organic fertilization (straw, compost, manure). In a 2023 article, the authors calculated the planetary contribution of earthworms estimated at 140 million tons of agricultural product, or 6% of global cereal production and which would be much higher if we included them in working the land. rather than massacre them with intensive agriculture. The figures are dizzying, these little worms can mix 300 tonnes of earth per hectare/year which pass through their bodies. We do not know exactly the mechanisms that support their benefits, there is what Darwin had already noted, namely the aeration produced by the aggregation of their droppings, and the decomposition of materials and their integration into the soil. More recent data also suggests a symbiosis with certain beneficial microbes which may be responsible for the protective effects on crops. In summary, there is a plant/worm/microbe triangle generated during evolution with shared benefits. The 2 attached films illustrate both the extraordinary distances traveled by these worms (7m per day) and their abilities to collect plant debris and digest them. We understand better why the pesticides which decimate them with contamination between 92 and 100 earthworms in the soil.
