FRANCE: Let’s all take a moment and thank the worms. Seriously, without them (and, to be fair, all of their fellow dirt friends), our world would look dramatically different.
The earthworm is just one example of what is called a detritivore — which includes all the bugs, fungi and bacteria tasked with eating up the dead things in the world and turning them into something that plants can use to grow. Scientists are just now solving the mystery on how worms survive the messy job.
The natural defenses of dead plants — which are designed to inhibit enzymes in the gut to prevent digestion — would be toxic for any other animal. But a group of researchers from Imperial College London have discovered new molecules in the worm gut, named drilodefensins, that can counteract the toxins, breaking them down the way that dish liquid breaks apart grease.
“Without drilodefensins, fallen leaves would remain on the surface of the ground for a very long time, building up to a thick layer,” said Jake Bundy, an author of the study and a professor at Imperial College, in a statement. “Our countryside would be unrecognizable, and the whole system of carbon cycling would be disrupted.”
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