Drilosphere

The drilosphere is defined as the whole soil volume that is under the influence of earthworms, including the body and internal structures of the worm that come in contact with the soil. (2) As ecosystem engineers(1), earthworms have the ability to change the soil, both physiochemically and biologically (2). The drilosphere has the characteristics of a self-organized system, completely different from the surrounding soil. (1)

Geophagous Worms

Geophagous worms are worms that feed on soil. Ingesting soil frees dormant bacteria from tight pore spaces and restarts the complete enzymatic capacities of the bacteria. (1) The digestion system of earthworms allows them to make use of soil that may be poor or deplete in resources, because of their mutualistic relationship with bacteria that live in their digestive tract. (1)

Digestive System

The digestive system of worms consists of the pharynx, the esophagus, the crop, the intestine, and the gizzard. (3) The soil is ingested by the worm and swallowed by the pharynx. When the soil reaches the esophagus, the worm releases calcium carbonate to ensure that their is not excess calcium in the worm. (3) The food then moves into the crop, where it is stored, and then into the gizzard. (3) In the gizzard, stones eaten by the worm help grind up the food. The ground up food then moves down into the intestine, where gland cells release fluids to aid in digestion. The walls of the intestines contain blood vessels, which help to absorb and transport nutrients. (3)

(3)

Castings

After digestion, the earthworm releases castings as waste. (1) These casts are very fertile, and contain the digestive plant and soil material, as well as bacteria from the intestine of the earthworm. Ammonium, phosphorous, and other nutrients are found at high concentrations. The casts can be globular or granular. (1)

Globular Casts

Globular casts are comprised of flattened units. (1) These are formed by worms that excrete small, independent pellets that rarely stick together.

Granular Casts

Granular casts are formed by small, fragile, and fine-textured pellets. (1) This makes them susceptible to runoff during rain events.

References

(1) Cuddington, Kim, et al. Ecosystem Engineers: Plants to Protists. Academic Press, 2007.

(2)Brown, George, et al. Regulation of Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Microbial Activityin the Drilosphere and the Role of Interactionswith Other Edaphic Functional Domains. European Journal of Soil Biology.

(3) https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~rlenet/Earthworms.html