A crisis beneath our feet..

Day 131 #365DaysWild

We can witness the biodiversity crisis when we observe falls in bird or butterfly numbers.

But the crisis is happening beneath our feet as well.

We have twenty five worm species in the UK, each occupying different niches within complex soil conditions and types.

This diversity results in healthy, fertile soils in which plants, fungi, bacteria and invertebrates can flourish.

This complexity of subterranean soil-based eco-systems is fundamental to bird, mammal and invertebrate populations above the ground.

Worms excrete their weight in nutrient rich worm casts each day. Their value to farmers and gardeners should be self-evident.

There is now evidence that earthworm abundance is down by at least a third in 25 years. (BTO).

This trend is not only a threat to soil health but also to bird populations, such as the blackbirds which eat them.

The reasons for the reduction are complex but include deep and too-frequent ploughing of the soil and the use of pesticides and herbicides amongst other factors.

Earthworms are keystone species in eco-systems. But they are also vital if we want to produce and consume high-quality, nutrient dense food for ourselves ..

We should be massively concerned about the huge reduction in earthworm numbers.