CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What role do earthworms play in nature?

Earthworms can loosen the soil, increase soil organic matter and improve its structure. They can also promote the transformation of acidic or alkaline soil into neutral soil, increase phosphorus and other fast-acting components, and make the soil suitable for the growth of crops. Because earthworms are rich in protein, they can be used as feed for livestock, poultry and aquaculture to increase production. Earthworms also occupy a certain position in pharmacology and are a common Chinese medicinal material with antipyretic, antispasmodic, activating collaterals, relieving asthma, lowering blood pressure and diuretic effects.

Earthworms can secrete a special enzyme that can break down proteins, fats and wood fibers. Therefore, leaves, straw, livestock and poultry manure, domestic garbage, activated sludge, and scraps from the paper and food industries can all be their food. Earthworms can eliminate environmental pollution to a certain extent. Therefore, in recent years, many countries have established earthworm breeding factories and called earthworm breeding factories "environmental purification devices." Because earthworms can absorb trace metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium in the soil, the amount of these metal elements accumulated in the earthworms is 10 times the amount in the outside world. Therefore, some scientists believe that earthworms can be used as monitoring animals for heavy metal pollution in the soil.