Worm munch matters
The lives that slither and scurry beneath the soil’s surface are vital for ecological health: now we can listen in to them - by Ella Browning Read on Aeon
Earthworms are fascinating creatures that live underground, eating soil and decaying organic matter. Despite not having a discernible mouth or ears, earthworms produce sounds that can reveal a lot about their subterranean world. These sounds have been the focus of ecoacoustic research, which explores the use of sound to monitor and understand nature.
The author, who has a passion for earthworms, recently discovered that monitoring their sounds could provide valuable insights into the health of ecosystems. Their research, which had previously focused on bat echolocation calls, led them to the realization that earthworms' behaviours could be studied using similar ecoacoustic methods.
Although earthworms' sounds may seem like a curiosity, they represent a significant change in how we understand nature. The underground is emerging as a new acoustic frontier, where sound can be used to reveal the health of entire ecosystems. By listening to the sounds produced by earthworms and other subterranean creatures, we can gain a deeper understanding of the natural world around us.
Written by urgent.news from Aeon's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
