Category: Uncategorized

EARTHWORMS IMPROVE HARVESTS. "Earthworms are among the most important soil dwelling invertebrates. Their activity affects both biotic and abiotic soil properties, in turn affecting plant growth. Here we show, using meta-analysis, that on average earthworm presence in agroecosystems leads to a 25% increase in crop yield and a 23% increase in aboveground biomass." https://lnkd.in/eBujjqy View in LinkedIn

LOSS OF CIVILIZATIONS. "War and pestilence might kill large numbers of people, but in most cases the population recovers. But lose the soil and everything goes with it. Now, globalisation ensures that this disaster is reproduced everywhere." https://lnkd.in/eZfN3CZ View in LinkedIn

TRAJECTORY. "By accounts of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, we have less than 60 years of farming left if we continue our modern chemical-industrial based farming processes." https://lnkd.in/eZfN3CZ View in LinkedIn

THE PROBLEM. "Soil is nature’s support medium for plant growth. Soils on only 12% of Earth’s land area possess the physical requirements to function as cropland. However, one-fourth of this land is now moderately to severely degraded." Leaving just 9% of the earth's land as productive. https://lnkd.in/eDthqhq View in LinkedIn

FOUNDATION OF LIFE. "Soil is one of the most abundant, complex and valuable natural products of the Earth. Soil organisms are major drivers of biogeochemical nutrient cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous: C, N, P), and hence are indispensable for life on Earth." https://lnkd.in/err7xpn View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT FROM NATURE deals with the broad subject of earth fertility with the narrower focus on the greatest agent of soil change, the earthworm. Darwin was the first to conduct serious work on earthworms. Cultures were made and broken on this animal. Unfortunately, for over 50 years, modern farming methods with chemical fertilizers and pesticides have denuded the populations of these creatures. View in LinkedIn

YES! French ban on plastic shopping bags. https://lnkd.in/eF2SBmD View in LinkedIn

CHARLES DARWIN singlehandedly elevated the prominence of the humble earthworm by his considerable powers of observation and experimentation over many decades. Since his publication on the sole subject of earthworms, serious study has been stimulated. A long-time favorite of mine. View in LinkedIn

NOTE: THERE ARE MANY DETRACTORS. "Günther Witzany is one of those people who think the Modern Synthesis needs to be overthrown but he missed the real revolution that took place in the late 1960s. He's part of The Third Way crowd that includes Denis Noble and Jim Shapiro [see Physiologists fall for the Third Way and The Third Fourth Way]." Also criticized because Witzany is just a lowly philosopher. Probably knows more genetics than many geneticists. https://lnkd.in/ekG62tA View in LinkedIn

THE SOLUTION. "Throughout human history earthworms have unintentionally but undeniably triggered the rise of civilizations. “Wherever earthworms plough, people thrive. When worms perish, societies collapse.” https://lnkd.in/eBYRycK View in LinkedIn