Question

Why are earthworms important in soils?
A. Earthworms are segmented which means that they cause more caverns for other bacteria and microbes to be present underground
B. Earthworms produce fluids which enrich the soil aiding for nitrogen to be present for plant growth
C. Earthworms inhibit gaseous exchange killing other bacteria which can be harmful to plants
D. Earthworms ingest soil and excrete soil which allows for some chemicals to be

Answer 1

Hint: Earthworms are invertebrate animals that generally live in soil and benefit the soil and farmers in many aspects. The earthworms are called the best friends of the farmers.

Complete answer: Due to the following reasons earthworms are needed in the soil:
1. Availability of improved nutrient: Earthworms feed the plant debris like dead roots, leaves, grasses, manure, and soil. Their digestive system concentrates on the organic and mineral constituents that they eat. As a result, their waste materials are richer nutrients than the soil.
2. Improvement of drainage: The earthworms loosens the soil and improves the soil drainage system. Soils, where the earthworms are present, can drain water up to 10 times faster than soils without earthworms. Earthworm makes tunnels in the soil that act as a passageway under the influence of rain, irrigation and gravity, lime, and other material.
3. Improvement in soil structure: Earthworm companies adhesive soil particles together in water-stable aggregates. These also help to store moisture.
4. Improvement in productivity: Earthworms increase productivity to an initial level of
70-80 %.

So, the correct answer is option A. Earthworms are segmented which means that they cause more caverns for other bacteria and microbes to be present underground.

Note: Nitrogen that is present in the waste of the earthworm is readily available for the plants. After the death of the earthworm, the bodies decompose rapidly and contribute a huge amount of nitrogen into the soil.