Secret of the earthworm stomach

Their appetite for garden waste makes them a gardener's best friend.

Their appetite for garden waste makes them a gardener's best friend.

Published Aug 5, 2015

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London - Their appetite for garden waste makes them a gardener’s best friend.

And now scientists have discovered just why earthworms are so useful – because their strong digestive systems mean they can munch through things other animals simply cannot stomach.

Without them far more fallen leaves would pile up on the ground, because they contain chemicals called polyphenols that are poisonous to many other creatures.

Researchers from Imperial College London found earthworms produce chemicals in their stomachs called drilodefensins that counteract the polyphenols. Drilodefensins contain substances called surfactants, which help break up other compounds.

Co-author Dr Dave Spurgeon, from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Oxfordshire, said: “We’ve established that earthworms, referred to as ‘nature’s ploughs’ by Charles Darwin, have a metabolic coping mechanism to deal with a range of leaf litter diets.

“In this role, drilodefensins support the role of earthworms as key ‘ecosystem engineers’.”

The research is published in the journal Nature Communications.

Daily Mail

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