The Earthworms: Charles Darwin’s Ecosystem Engineer

Abstract

The term ecosystem engineering focuses on how organisms physically change the abiotic environment and how this feeds back to the biota. Charles Darwin was the first naturalist who studied the role of the earthworms and their ecosystem services. Darwin’s last publication on earthworms gave the role of earthworms in global bioturbation. Darwin also used the word ‘friend of farmer’ and ‘nature ploughman’ for the earthworm because of its important role in the soil ecosystem. In modern ecological theory, bioturbation is recognised as ‘ecosystem engineering’. They are called as ecosystem engineers due to their different ecosystem services which cause the physical, chemical and biological changes in the soil. This review highlights the different ecological services provided by the earthworms that make them ecosystem engineers as said earlier by Darwin.