Question

How do earthworms enrich plant growth?

Answer 1

Hint: Earthworm is also known as a farmer friend as it is active during the rainy season and it is found mainly in humus-rich soil. It lives in burrows and forms worm casting in the form of small pills.

Complete answer:
Earthworms burrow inside the soil and it is mostly found in humus-rich soil which helps to increase the amount of air and water inside the soil and promotes plant growth. It also helps to break down organic matter with the help of muscular gizzards and their excretory product in the form of worm casting helps in the formation of fertilizers. It also serves as manure and increases the fertility of the soil by vermicomposting.
Earthworms show other useful activities like it is used as fish bait for catching fish. In tribal communities, its uses in the form of medicine to cure bladder stones, jaundice, piles, diarrhoea etc. It is also used as food in countries like China, Japan, Myanmar and Australia.
The presence of some organisms leads to the depletion of earthworm from the place and they are known as predators. Predators of earthworm are Beetles, centipedes, leeches, slugs, flatworms, etc. The depletion of the population of earthworms leads to ecological imbalance may be directly or indirectly. The population of earthworms also gets affected by the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Note:
Sometimes the burrow formed by the earthworm spoils the playground and lands and makes the seepage of the area due to the high water table. In abundance earthworms also damage the seedlings, which leads to damage to agricultural land.