Why is the earthworm called a friend of the soil? Earthworms play a vital role in creating fertile soils. Ecopark Z. Origin of the name “Worms”
18.06.2017 11:49
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Why are earthworms called earthworms?
IN warm time year, after rain you can often see many long, pink worms on the ground or asphalt. People call them rain ones. In fact, they are earthen, since they live in the ground.
And they are called rain worms because worms crawl to the surface precisely after (and sometimes during) rain. What makes these creatures leave the depths of the earth? Maybe they don't like wet soil?
As it turned out, in the land flooded with water earthworms they simply suffocate and crawl to the surface just to breathe. And since they do not have gills (like fish), they naturally cannot breathe in water. The respiratory organ of earthworms is their...skin.
However, worms also feel uncomfortable in the air (especially in the sun), since their skin dries out and, as a result, loses the ability to secrete the mucus that moisturizes the body, necessary for breathing.
In the cold season, earthworms are in a state of hibernation, curled into a ball at a depth of 2-3 meters underground. And with the onset spring warmth they wake up and move closer to the soil surface to warm themselves. They dig passages 60-80 cm deep.
These hardworking creatures spend almost their entire lives underground. When moving, they make their way with their own heads, confidently pushing and even swallowing the soil.
Earthworms feed organic substances-rotten leaves, etc. And if they do not find enough food underground, they crawl out to “hunt” at night, dragging into the ground not yet rotten plants, straws, feathers and even pieces of paper.
However, in search of food, they do not move far from their burrow, but hold on to its edges with the rear end of their body. And at the first sign of danger, the worms return to their underground home.
Many people (especially children) are afraid of these creatures or experience a feeling of disgust and disgust towards them. Yes, an earthworm cannot compare, for example, with a beautiful, bright butterfly. However, these creatures are very useful for humans as well.
Benefit earthworm lies in the fact that by making passages in the soil, it promotes the penetration of air and water into its depth. Thus, he himself, without knowing it, accelerates the decomposition (disintegration) of the remains of rotten plants, creating a strong granular structure, and also by digesting plant debris.
To put it simply, the earthworm helps fertilize the earth with natural fertilizers. Thanks to this, the content of substances beneficial to plants increases in the soil.
As the great scientist Charles Darwin once noted, the earthworm, found in many countries with humid climate, played huge role in the history of the earth.
“Earthworms,” said the scientist, “at regular intervals carefully turn over all the soil, like a gardener preparing crushed earth for his most beautiful plants.” And it is true.
Despite its frightening and repulsive appearance, these useful creatures are very harmless and defenseless. They are hunted not only by animals (hedgehogs, shrews, etc.) predator birds, but even some birds that feed on grains and seeds.
We all know what worms are. Some people are disgusted by them, others systematically dig them up for fishing trips, but have you ever wondered why worms are called worms? Today we will try to understand this issue, as well as the origin of the names of types of worms.
Origin of the name "Worms"
The original name for worms in Latin is “Vermes”. However, in Russian we are accustomed to calling this type of animal kingdom worms.
The origin is modern word the worm has its roots in Proto-Slavic language, where such creatures were called “čьрвь”. This concept could be roughly translated into Russian as “red thread.” And here there is a similarity, because worms often have a pinkish, even reddish tint. And their similarity to thread or rope is obvious. This is how the name worms came about.
Why is an earthworm called an earthworm?
Of course, we have all heard about this type of earthworm, but not all people know about the origin of their name.
You have probably noticed that earthworms can often be observed during rain. This is what influenced the name of the worms. However, they crawl out to the surface of the earth not at all because of their sympathy for water or bad weather conditions.
In fact, during rain, water simply fills all the underground passages in which earthworms live, and due to lack of air, they are forced to appear on the surface of the earth. Such worms are also often called earthworms, and this name is more correct.
Why are flatworms called that?
The type of protostomal invertebrates is called flatworms for a reason, because Plathelminthes (from Latin) have a characteristic flat appearance.
Why are worms called ringed worms?
Another variety of worms, annelids, also got its name directly because of the presence of an annular body, which has from 10 to hundreds of annular segments.
In order to begin our research, my mother, teacher, and friends and I found many books and articles about earthworms.
I decided to find out who earthworms are and why they are called that. I made the assumption that they owe their name to the fact that they appear with the rain, or love the rain. After re-reading articles from books with my mother, I learned that the earthworm is called an earthworm because during rainstorms it leaves its burrow to breathe. And in the meantime it becomes prey for birds, hedgehogs, and predatory insects.
Earthworms are of the type annelids, subtype Girdleaceae, class Polychaetes, family Lumbricidae.
Worms are like twins, similar to each other. I decided to find out there are different types worms or one.
From various sources of information I read that there are a great many species of earthworms on Earth. They vary greatly in size. IN North America There are two species of earthworms up to 60 cm long; in Australia (Victoria) a giant earthworm can reach 3-4 m in length! Huge worms are inhabitants of tropical rainforests.
Our worms are smaller, from a few centimeters to 30-40 cm. There are about 40 species of earthworms in our country.
We most often meet the following types earthworms:
1. The tetrahedral earthworm (Eiseniella tetraedra) is 3-5 cm in length; its middle and rear parts of the body are noticeably tetrahedral. Found only in very damp places (in wet moss, in damp earth near bodies of water).
2. The stinking earthworm (Eisenia foetida) is 6-13 cm in length; got its name from the specific product it published bad smell. Characteristic sign: red or brown rings on each segment - and the grooves separating the segments are light. It is found mainly in manure heaps and in rich garden soil.
3. The yellowish-green earthworm (Allophora chlorotica) is 5-7 cm in length. Its color can be different: yellowish, greenish, reddish. Lives both in slightly damp and very damp soil (in gardens, in river bank cliffs), in rotting foliage.
4. The reddish earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) is 7-15 cm in length. The dorsal side is reddish-brown and purple with a pearlescent tint. This is a typical inhabitant of more or less moist humus soil, usually at shallow depths.
5. Ground or common earthworm (crawl) (Lumbricus terrestris) is 9-30 cm in length; very widespread, especially common in clay soils. On wet nights it crawls to the soil surface for plant remains.
I wonder what types of worms are found in our village?
To do this I needed to find them. Where can I get worms? I looked for worms in old manure heaps, in accumulations of last year's leaves, and picked up old rotten logs.
When I was trying to find earthworms, I noticed that in one place there were a lot of them, but in another there was not a single worm. When studying the literature, I found out: the absence of earthworms in the soil means that soil conditions are unfavorable for their life, which means that the fertility of such soil is very low. I understood why mom was talking about good harvest. After all, we came across a lot of worms while digging.
I took the last group of worms from our garden. To do this I had to dig up a piece of land. It is not difficult to detect an earthworm when excavating the ground, as long as the soil is sufficiently moist and not pure sand. After warm rain, you can always see them on paths in a garden or park, and even on sidewalks or a sports ground.
As a result of working on my site, I discovered a small red worm, or crawler (10-12 cm long, cherry-red in color, lives at the very surface of the soil), a large crawler (25 cm long, paler in color, makes passages in the ground to a depth 2.5 m). One worm I found was different from a crawling one. Having compared the pictures, I decided that this is a tilled earthworm (gray, 14-15 cm long, feels good in the rows of the garden and near tree trunks, rarely comes to the surface).
To begin with, I decided to take a closer look at the worms that I dug up in the garden.
I found that the front end of the worm was slightly thicker and darker in color than the back end, which was thin and flat. Its entire elongated body was 27 cm long and divided into many rings, the number of which, I learned, could reach up to 180. On the sides of the body, bristles could be seen barely visible from the skin. I didn't notice them with the naked eye, but with a magnifying glass they are clearly visible. I let a large worm crawl along the dry paper, and then the rustling of the bristles began to be heard.
The teacher showed me what an earthworm looks like inside in the picture. Internal structure The worm resembles the structure of a submarine. There are several pipes running inside: the dorsal and abdominal blood vessels, where 5 miniature hearts pump blood, and the main pipe, which runs from the mouth to the very end. Along it stands complex equipment - glands that secrete lime and a chewing stomach where food is ground. underground dweller swallows tiny pebbles, with the help of which it grinds food.
Having examined the worms, I began to release them, while observing their movement. I discovered that on the surface of the earth, without having support on all sides, as in the ground, worms move relatively slowly.
I dropped some of the earthworms onto the dug up soil and saw that the worms quickly burrowed into the ground. At the same time, each of them acted with its pointed muscular front end like a wedge, alternately narrowing and stretching it, then swelling and contracting it, thus pushing the soil particles to the sides.
I learned that the pharyngeal sac of a worm has hard, thick walls. It can move forward quickly and, according to Darwin, "strikes the inside of the front of the body again and again, driving it into the ground like a hammer."
The other part of the earthworms was lowered onto dense soil. I made an amazing discovery for myself. If the soil is very dense, which creates difficulties for penetration into it, then the worm simply “eats” its way, swallowing particles of soil and passing it through itself. True, this method of transportation is not very fast.
The third part was placed on particularly dense and dry soil. I was amazed at the abilities of these small, gentle creatures! They found a way out here too: they made the soil moist. I was surprised: “Where did the water come from?” It turns out that the worm moistened the soil with its own saliva!
I learned that as soon as a piece of earth gets wet, the worm swallows it. Then it again moistens the soil in front of it and swallows another portion, little by little moving deeper. Not a worm, but a real excavator!
The average number of worms in garden soil, according to the observations of one German scientist, is 13 individuals per 1 m2. According to other calculations, in deciduous forests there are at least 300 thousand of them per hectare of area. In the forest, the number of earthworms varies greatly depending on the composition of the soil and the nature of the tree stand; in deciduous forests there are 200-500 individuals per 1 m2, in coniferous forests - up to 100 individuals.
2. MAIN SIGNS OF EARTHWORMS.
OBSERVATION 1
Research what earthworms eat.
I decided to observe the feeding of the worms. But it is difficult to observe the feeding of worms in nature, since they are nocturnal animals and usually come to the surface at night, but their burrows can be quite easily found in the garden or vegetable garden.
In nature:
1. Find worm holes.
2. Undermine one of them and remove the remains of plants.
3. Try to determine what kind of plant it is.
PROGRESS OF OBSERVATION
In order to determine what the worm feeds in nature, I had to look for its burrow. The worm's burrow was a long, narrow channel. Worms close the entrances to their burrows with plugs, most often from fallen leaves held together with earth, or from their own coprolites.
In warm and damp weather at night, worms crawl out of their holes, but not completely, but clinging to the hole with their tail, so that in case of danger they can quickly hide. Stretching out, they search the surrounding space, grab fallen leaves, half-rotten blades of grass and other vegetation with their mouths, dragging them into their burrows.
Examining the remains of food, I determined that they were half-rotten parts of plants, fallen leaves (I made the assumption that birch trees, since only these trees grow nearby) and other substances plant origin. In addition, I found, as it seemed to me, remains that resembled parts of animal origin.
In the laboratory:
1. Place small pieces of cabbage leaves, lard, meat, and rotting parts of plants on the surface of the soil where the earthworms are located.
2. Observe what happens to them. How do worms carry food into the soil, and at what time of day?
PROGRESS OF OBSERVATION:
We made a terrarium for worms at home. It was a glass box filled with earth. They put worms there and began to observe.
During the day, earthworms rarely came to the surface, preferring to hide in a hole. With the onset of dusk and darkness, they came to life and crawled to the surface in search of food almost entirely, but they did not crawl along the surface, but held onto the edge of the hole with their rear end. Their front part of the body, rising above the ground, made circular movements and felt everything around.
I placed small pieces of cabbage leaves on the surface of the soil and began to observe. My guests didn't have to wait long. Stretching out, the worms searched the surrounding space, grabbed cabbage in their mouths and dragged it into their holes.
After observing the worms, I determined that they readily eat fresh leaves of plants, especially cabbage, onions and carrots. I offered them potato peelings, bread crusts, banana skins, orange and tangerine peels, and apple cores. The worms did not refuse these dishes. They liked them. Of all the products offered, they liked carrots the most.
I decided to check whether worms eat meat. It turned out that they are not vegetarians, since they do not refuse meat, both raw and boiled, as well as lard. The teacher explained to me that worms are omnivores, that is, they feed on both plant and animal foods.
From Internet sources I learned that “Darwin tested the tastes of his pets by offering them leaves of cabbage, turnips, beets, celery, cherries and carrots. Gourmets first of all feasted on carrots. In addition, it turned out that they adore fried meat and especially love crude fat. From this Darwin concluded: the gastric juices of the worm are capable of digesting carbohydrates, proteins and fats.”
Watching earthworms, I came to the conclusion that they are intelligent creatures. Just look how he drags the food offered to him into his hole! He determines how easier it is to do this and begins his work.
My mother and I found a note about this in one of the articles.
“Darwin also noted one characteristic feature earthworms: they pull the leaf into the burrow, grasping it by the top, and not by the petiole, so the leaf offers the least resistance. But pine needles always pull on the petiole, as if understanding that a needle grabbed by the end of one of the two needles would get stuck at the entrance to the worm’s home, since the second needle would lie across the hole of the burrow.
In his experiments, Charles Darwin “offered” triangles cut out of paper to the worms, and they pulled them in in the most rational way: by one of the sharp corners.”
OBSERVATION 2
Investigate the effect of earthworms on the soil.
In nature:
1. View garden paths and vegetable beds.
2. Find long earthen cords or earthen spherical lumps - these are the secretions of earthworms formed when soil rich in plant debris is passed through the intestines of the worm.
PROGRESS OF OBSERVATION:
Looking through garden paths and vegetable beds, I discovered long earthen cords or spherical lumps, the so-called COPROLITES. This is earthworm excrement. They can be detected especially quickly after rain.
At first I couldn't understand what coprolites were. After an explanation from the adults, I realized that after the soil passes through the intestines of the worms, lumps of soil are thrown out in the form of coprolites. I found that this word was formed from the Greek words kopros - “dung”, and lithos - “stone”. Coprolites are spherical or elongated lumps of earth 1-5 mm in size. Freshly discarded coprolites have a smooth surface; they can stick together to form aggregates up to 20 mm or more in size. Coprolites are thrown out by worms in the form of heaps 3–15 mm high, usually covering the outer opening of the worm's passage, although a significant portion of coprolites are also deposited in underground passages.
In the laboratory:
1. Determine what the worms will eat if they are not specifically fed?
OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIENCE:
Observe what the worms eat if you don’t specifically feed them.
EXPERIENCE PLAN:
1. Pour dark sifted soil into two liter jars.
2. We moisten the earth (maintain the soil moisture throughout the entire experiment).
3. Place 4 adult worms in one jar, and the second jar is a control.
4. Observe what we find on it the next day?
5. Find out what nutrient material a worm can extract from the soil?
PROGRESS:
a) prepared two jars of earth according to plan; b) wrapped in thick paper and placed in warm place; c) placed 7 adult worms on the surface of the earth; d) the worms buried themselves in the ground;
a) looked at what has changed in the bank.
I saw that passages had appeared in the ground.
Having examined the banks, it seemed to me that there was more land in them. The worms loosened the soil. She seemed to be mixed up. If the worms are not specifically fed, they swallow the soil. I made the assumption that there are useful substances in the soil that the worm feeds on.
The teacher explained that by passing humus-rich soil through its intestines, the worm extracts some nutrients from it, throwing the rest out. In this case, the earth from the lower layer of soil is carried to the top.
From various sources of information I learned that in the intestines of earthworms such elements are released from mineral particles mineral nutrition plants like potassium and magnesium.
Earthworms live in good, moist soil and lead a burrowing lifestyle. They can't live in sand. Worms lead night look life and crawl to the surface only at night. When you see a worm in nature on the surface of the earth, it means that it is looking for new house or more nutritious soil. Worms are omnivores. They eat food of both plant and animal origin.
Mostly half-rotten leaves of plants, parts of plants, potatoes, bread, flour
To a lesser extent, Meat (raw, cooked), animal corpses, lard
OBSERVATION 3
Research the question of who can eat earthworms.
Earthworms have many enemies. The main enemy of earthworms is an unreasonable person. Through unreasonable actions and pesticides, a person can destroy worms and destroy soil fertility.
However, in the animal kingdom there are laws of interspecific struggle that endanger the life of the earthworm. Various living creatures hunt it and eat it as a delicacy: in particular, mice, moles, rats, snakes, toads, and some birds.
Among small animals, the enemies of the earthworm are woodlice, moths and ants.
There are few means of fighting for the life of earthworms.
Rats and mice do not eat earthworms very voraciously, but can be quite harmful where the earthworm eats the food.
Toads are a very common animal in our conditions. They are carnivores, finding in the worm a variety of their normal diet, which includes midges, mosquitoes, etc.
Birds are almost all carnivores and hunt earthworms due to the ease of prey. Since the worms are not visible from the outside, they tear top part minks and find the worm doing its usual activities, unaware of the danger.
Moles are especially dangerous because they are very fond of earthworms, which they consider their main food. There are no means of protection to combat it.
In the laboratory:
1. Take a regular two-liter bottle glass jar. Pour into it alternating layers of dark sifted garden soil and light sand, so that the light sand is on top. Place three or four earthworms there. Place the jar in a dimly lit place or wrap it in paper and monitor the humidity. The soil should be constantly slightly moist. Make observations and answer the questions: a). Are there changes happening to the layers of sand and soil? V). If they mix, why?
OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIENCE:
Learn about the role of the earthworm in mixing the soil.
EXPERIENCE PLAN:
1. In two three-liter jars, pour 2/3 dark sifted soil from the garden in layers, and then a 2-3 cm layer of light sand. Light sand on the surface.
2. We moisten the earth and sand (we maintain the humidity of the sand and earth throughout the experiment).
3. Place 7 adult worms in one jar, and the second jar is a control.
4. Place the jar in a warm, dark place and wrap the jar in newspaper.
5. We will periodically feed the worms with boiled vegetables, food waste from the kitchen (once every 5-7 days).
6. Observe the disappearance of the sand-earth boundary
PROGRESS.
1) 12.08.08
a) prepared two jars with soil and sand according to plan b) placed 7 adult worms on the surface of the sand c) after 35 minutes the worms dug into the ground d) placed food on top of the soil: a piece of bread, an orange peel, a piece of boiled meat.
e) covered the jar with a tin lid, wrapped it in thick paper and put it in a warm place.
2) 18.08.08
a) fed the worms with porridge.
b) small lumps of earth (coprolites) appeared on the surface of the sand. The appearance of such lumps on bare ground indicates the beginning of worm activity.
c) through the glass of the jar, worm holes are visible in the ground
3) 25.08.08
a) fed the worms with kitchen waste (tangerine peel, used tea leaves, boiled potatoes).
b) the “sand-earth” boundary has been violated. The layers turn out to be penetrated to the bottom by worm passages, and a significant part of them was filled with dark-colored coprolites.
4) 02.09.08
a) feeding the worms with kitchen waste b) the top layer of sand has disappeared. The middle one is almost all mixed up. In the lower layer, numerous inclusions of earth in the sand are visible. The moves made by the worms are visible
5) 09.09.08
a) feeding worms with kitchen waste ( boiled carrots, cabbage leaves, lard) b) the sand-soil boundary is partially preserved, sand is visible in the layers of the earth.
b) all the contents of the jar are mixed.
At the same time, the total volume of soil increased. I decided that this was due to the fact that the worms had made many moves in the ground.
MIXING THE SOIL WITH A WORM
DATE OF OBSERVATION VISIBLE SIGNS OF WORMS ACTIVITY
08/12/08 WE PLANTED EARTHWORMS IN A JAR FILLED WITH SAND AND SOIL.
18.08.08 APPEARANCE OF THE FIRST LUMPS OF EARTH ON THE SURFACE OF THE SAND
25. 08. 08 THE BEGINNING OF DISAPPEARANCE OF THE “SAND-EARTH” BORDER
2.09.08 THE TOP LAYER OF SAND HAS DISAPPEARED. THE MIDDLE IS ALMOST ALL MIXED. IN THE BOTTOM
NUMEROUS INCLUSIONS OF EARTH IN THE SAND ARE VISIBLE IN THIS LAYER. VISIBLE MOVEMENTS
MADE BY WORMS
09. 09. 08 DISAPPEARANCE OF THE “SAND-EARTH” BORDER
16.09.08 ALL CONTENTS OF THE CAN HAVE BEEN MIXED
According to the observations of Charles Darwin, worms in fields bring about 0.5 cm of soil to the surface per year, which is approximately 0.5 m per century. This entire layer is passed through the intestines of earthworms. During the year for each square meter On the surface, worms carry 2.5 kg of soil, and for 1 hectare of meadow soil - about 38 tons.
With 7-8 individuals per 1 m2 per year on one hectare of forest soil, worms can process up to 250 kg of fallen leaves and other plant parts. Thus, over a relatively short period of time, the entire surface layer of soil passes through the intestines of earthworms more than once, as a result of which it is loosened and mixed with plant debris.
I learned that earthworms loosen the soil, breaking it up as they eat. With their help, plant roots receive air and moisture, they promote the decomposition of dead plants and animal remains, and plant plant seeds. This happens when they drag leaves into their burrows while simultaneously grabbing seeds from the surface.
My parents spread fertilizer in their garden every year. I realized that the worms themselves produce fertilizer and enrich the soil.
The importance of this can be seen in one example. Scientists have discovered an area with one of the most fertile soils. They calculated that half a hectare accounts for 108 tons of waste earthworms. This is why this area has been so fertile for hundreds of years!
Scientists' experiments show that without earthworms, fallen above-ground parts of plants decompose 2-3 times slower. Numerous vegetation experiments show that in the presence of earthworms, the yield of various field crops increases, for example, barley by 50-100%, oats by 200%. Earthworms “supply” the soil with beneficial microorganisms, and plant roots more easily penetrate into the depths along their passages.
During the dry season, in places with insufficient soil moisture, the worms sink to a considerable depth. Thus, these animals play an extremely important role in nature - they continuously cultivate and improve the soil, increasing its fertility. There are a number of observations showing that when earthworms were moved to fields where they were not previously found, it was possible to increase the yield of rye, turnips, rapeseed and potatoes by 50-100%.
An earthworm mixes the soil and processes organic matter.
Thus, thanks to earthworms, the soil layers are mixed. The ingestion of soil by worms and its removal to the surface is a continuous process of formation of a new surface layer, in which soil particles from different depths are thoroughly mixed with each other.
The leaves, dragged down into the burrows of worms for food, after they have been torn into minute pieces, partly digested, partly moistened with liquid secretions of the intestinal canal and urinary secretions, are mixed with large quantities of earth. This soil forms the dark fertile layer.
Experiments have shown that the role of earthworms in changing and improving the properties of the soil is much greater than loosening and mixing its layers during plowing. Worms mix the soil greater depth than the plow and contribute to an increase in the fertile layer.
OBSERVATION 4
All living organisms, including earthworms, eat, move, breathe, and in one way or another adapt to their environment. One of the most important properties of living things is reproduction, which means that worms must reproduce. But how?
In nature:
1. Look in nature, under stones, boards, or objects lying on the ground for a long time for cocoons of earthworms. They are greenish in color, round in shape with slightly pointed ends (lemon-shaped), 3 - 5 mm in size.
Having actively searched for earthworm cocoons in nature, I did not find them.
My mother is a biologist. She came to my aid. Near the head end of the earthworm I found a yellowish thickening called the girdle. Mom explained to me that there are many special glands near it that secrete a liquid that hardens in air. Thus, a wide ring is formed around the girdle, which the worm moves over its head, laying eggs in it. The edges of the discarded ring dry out and tighten, forming a cocoon somewhat similar in shape to a lemon. I looked for such cocoons (up to 5 mm long) in the ground, under boards, stones and other objects.
The embryos feed on the protein surrounding them and undergo minor transformations, then small worms similar to adult individuals emerge from the cocoon.
In the laboratory:
1. Place a few lightly crushed boiled potatoes in the box where you breed earthworms.
2. Observe, what do you find?
3. Compare the development of earthworms with the development of insects.
PROGRESS OF OBSERVATION
I stocked my terrarium (box with soil) with worms. The worms are mobile, which indicates their good condition.
I boiled the potatoes with my mother, lightly crushed them and placed them in the terrarium.
After 19 days, I discovered something strange in the potatoes. I learned that these were cocoons laid by a worm. In order not to disturb the microclimate, I did not count the cocoons.
Young worms emerged from the cocoons.
In nature, over a period of 12-18 weeks, each worm lays a cocoon the size of half a grain of rice. Each cocoon contains 3-21 worm embryos. After 2-3 weeks, newborn worms emerge from the cocoons, only 4-6 mm long, which grow quickly and in 10-12 weeks increase their weight from 1 to 250-500 mg. Typically, young worms become sexually mature by October.
Let's compare the development of earthworms with the development of insects:
3. RELATIONSHIP OF EARTHWORMS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.
OBSERVATION 5
Worms are animals, living organisms, and all living things have the ability to react to the influences of their environment to one degree or another. How are they connected to the outside world?
1. Determine the reaction of earthworms to light.
2. Observe the effect of moisture on earthworms.
EXPERIENCE 3 Light.
OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIENCE:
Determine the reaction of earthworms to light.
EXPERIENCE PLAN:
1. Let's find a worm in nature.
3. Observe what happens?
4. Find and learn from various sources information why this happened.
PROGRESS.
1. I dug up an earthworm in our garden.
2. Using a magnifying glass, a beam of light was directed at the front end of the worm’s body.
3. The worm immediately began to burrow into the ground.
The worm lacks organs of vision and hearing, but it has sensory cells on the surface of the body. This gives him the ability to distinguish between light and dark and feel subtle touches. If you shine a flashlight on them at night, they immediately hide in their holes.
Worms do not like heat: at a temperature of 23°C they hide, and higher heat is fatal to them. Worms cannot live in sunlight.
A well-developed sense of touch and smell helps worms choose what they need. They grab the object, not at random, but take it from the convenient end. For example, they use nut shells the same way we use a manhole cover.
EXPERIMENT 4 Moisture.
OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIENCE:
Observe the effect of moisture on earthworms.
EXPERIENCE PLAN:
1. Pour a layer of dry soil into the jar.
2. Place 7 adult worms in a jar.
3. Observe what happens to the worms.
PROGRESS
1. Took a liter jar and poured dry earth into it.
2. Placed it in a can of worms.
3. The worms united into a common ball.
I conclude that worms love wet ground. After all, when conducting experiments, I always monitored the soil moisture.
What made them curl up into a ball? Worms breathe over the entire surface of the body, which is constantly moistened by secreted skin mucus. With the onset of drought, the worms lie curled up in a ball, surrounded by hardened skin mucus, falling into temporary hibernation.
4. PRACTICAL APPLICATION
I took a leaf of a violet flower and put it in the water. After two weeks I noticed shoots on it. Mom explained that these are young roots appearing, thanks to which my plant will live. Then, taking the soil obtained from the experiments, I planted the flower in a flower pot.
I used the fertile layer of soil produced by the worms for growing indoor flower. So I used a product that I have complete confidence in due to my research. Because we can never say exactly where the land we bought in the store came from. And I took the flower to school. Let him decorate the classroom!
5. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS.
1. Worms are collected after rain directly on the surface of the earth or dug out from well-fertilized soil in vegetable gardens and greenhouses. You can find worms by turning over boards, pieces of wood, or stones lying on the ground.
They usually contain earthworms in large flower pots, boxes, special cages. When kept for a long time, rye flour, bread crumbs, and rotting leaves are mixed into the soil or placed on the surface. Place the pots in a cool, shady place and monitor the soil moisture by spraying it with water from time to time. For each worm there should be one to two cups of earth.
2. The name earthworms is a composite one.
IN middle lane In our country, the most common are the large or “large crawl,” reaching sizes of 20–25 centimeters; the red worm, or “small” worm, 10–12 centimeters long, has a brighter color.
3. Worms live in captivity for up to ten years, but in nature - much less.
4. Earthworms can be living barometers. If they crawl out of the ground on a warm evening, it means that the weather will soon change dramatically, there will be heavy rain and thunderstorms.
5. Under the influence of radiation, the number of earthworms decreases and a delay in development is observed. Most likely, this happens because they are obtained not only from the outside, but also from the inside, from the soil that they swallow.
6. During their life, earthworms loosen the soil, which helps enrich it with oxygen and improves moisture absorption. They mix the soil layers, i.e. they participate in the formation of soil. Soil humus substances are converted by microorganisms into soluble chemical compounds, and with the help of roots, plants have the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other elements they need. The air in the soil is also important as a source of nitrogenous compounds, which is produced by special soil bacteria. Thus, earthworms contribute to the implementation of this essential link in the nitrogen cycle process, facilitating air circulation in the soil and its penetration into deep soil layers.
7. By processing organic residues and drawing them deep into the soil, earthworms contribute to the formation of humus in it.
Thus, we learned that earthworms play a special role in nature, increasing the most important property of the soil - fertility.
In conclusion, I ask myself questions: “How was this work useful for me?”, “What did it teach me?”
Firstly, I learned a lot of new, interesting and useful things. I used to often ask my mother questions, and now I myself have found answers to many of them as a result of working on this topic. To answer many questions I needed different sources information, so I learned to work with them. It was difficult for me, but I tried to find and highlight (with the help of adults, of course) the main thing in huge world information. I think if I didn’t do everything well, it’s not a big deal, because I’m only a first grader.
What did this job give me? I learned to compare, analyze, and examine the object being studied from all sides. I took my first steps in research in kindergarten, and now I have gained even more experience. It was very difficult for me, but adults always helped.
I learned a lot about worms. It turns out there is a California worm. It can be grown at home. Perhaps this is what I will do during the summer holidays. After all, I really enjoyed conducting experiments and observing.
DURING OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS, NOT A SINGLE EARTHWORM DIE.
6. RESULTS OF A SURVEY CONDUCTED AMONG THE STUDENTS OF MY CLASS
One of the methods of collecting information during the study was a survey of my classmates. Processing and analysis of the data obtained allowed me to draw some conclusions about the knowledge of my classmates about the earthworm.
Let's look at the results this stage research.
For the survey we took four questions. A total of 26 people (my 1st “a” class) aged 7 to 8 years took part in the survey. This is how the answers to the questions asked were distributed.
1. Have you seen an earthworm?
Respondents' answers: 1). Yes – 100%
This answer could have been predicted. After all, we live in a village. Every spring our parents dig beds for planting. Girls are often nearby. In autumn we harvest potatoes in the fields. We also dig in the ground. Dads go fishing and sometimes take us with them. So our guys are all familiar with the worm. Therefore, I was interested in another question.
2. Where did you see an earthworm?
Answers: 1). In the garden, in the beds - This was answered by 24 out of 26 people in our class (92%).
2). Under logs and boards. – 2 people (8%).
3. Are earthworms good for you?
Answers: 1). Yes. – 7 people in our class out of 26 (27%) answered this way.
2). No. – 10 people (39%).
3). Don't know. – 9 people (34%)
My classmates, like me, previously did not know about the benefits of earthworms, so I decided to tell them about my research.
4. Why do earthworms exist in nature?
Questionnaire participants gave very different answers to this question.
1). Bird food. – 18 people (62%).
2). Bait for fishing. – 12 people (46%).
3). Climb in the ground. – 4 people (21%).
4). That's how it should be. – 2 people (15%).
5). I don’t know (difficult to answer). – 1 person (4%).
6). 3 people (12%) did not answer.
Based on the results of the answers, we can conclude that my friends see the main purpose of the earthworm as bird food. 46% of the children in the class go fishing with their dads. This is where they use the worms.
It's a shame that my classmates know so little about such a wonderful creature as an earthworm. But he is so small, but he helps a person. Yes, earthworms really are the guardian angels of all life on earth, although they live underground.
7. IN THE WORLD OF INTERESTING
1. MODERN SIGNS
An earthworm is a sign of an approaching long, most likely pleasant, journey.
Seeing an earthworm dead means a long journey may have to be postponed for some time; alive, stretching your body to its full length - to an intimate and romantic journey.
Seeing an earthworm crawling along the asphalt means the speedy fulfillment of your deepest desire, which, due to various reasons couldn't long time come true.
Seeing several worms means the appearance of a new erudite person in your company who will become a true friend for you!
2. EARTHWORM MUSEUM
The Earthworm Museum is a traveling exhibition telling about the wonderful animals - earthworms. About their life full of risks, difficult behavior, amazing abilities, friends and enemies, about birth, love and death. And also about how they work and what these great creators and transformers of soil mean for life on Earth.
The museum was created on a public initiative for educational purposes. People know little about earthworms, these timid and defenseless inhabitants of the soil, and often treat them poorly.
The purpose of the exhibition is to allow the visitor to look at earthworms with different eyes and understand the beauty and complexity of any manifestation of life.
The museum is based in Moscow, but is able to travel.
In order to know what earthworms are, you don’t have to go to school or specifically study biology. Any child knows: in the spring or summer, after it will rain and the sun comes out, small “trenches” appear in the ground, dug by earthworms.
And if there are puddles on the asphalt, then there too you can “meet” something long, reddish and writhing. And this something will turn out to be an earthworm. But anyone who has already been to school knows that earthworms are animals of the invertebrate kingdom. And that the body of an earthworm consists of rings, so-called segments. Moreover, there can be more than three hundred of them. An earthworm is a “tube” from ten to thirty centimeters long.
By the way, it’s interesting: the warmer the climate where you encounter an earthworm, the longer it will be. In warm weather, worms grow longer. These worms are called earthworms because they can most often be seen on the surface of the earth after a good, generous rain. In fact, worms live in rich, humus soil, but avoid sand. And all because they breathe over the entire surface of the body, therefore drying out is deadly for the earthworm. But they are also not able to live in water, also due to the peculiarities of the respiratory system. Since worms breathe with their whole body, they simply cannot breathe in water, although some amount of oxygen is dissolved in it. But this is not enough for the worm. So it crawls to the surface in humid, damp weather, immediately after rain, when it is wet and fresh at the same time.
Earthworms also crawl to the surface of the earth at night, also due to high humidity and the absence of the scorching rays of the sun. But we mostly sleep at night. Otherwise, if we were awake at night, we might well call earthworms “nocturnal.”
Don't see earthworms for a long time It is also possible when there is a drought, or cold weather comes with prolonged rains. It is interesting to watch how an earthworm moves. He crawls, contracting all his rings. He pulls in, “picks up” first his front, grabbing the ground with his bristles, and then pulls up his “rears.” It's on the surface. In the ground, it seems to “push apart” soil particles and dig entire underground passages. If you can’t “push” the soil, the earthworm... eats it. It begins to swallow even at great depths, and throws out the processed material already near its habitat. Thus, you can often see areas of “dug up”, loosened earth: earthworms have done their best.
In addition to greasy soil, earthworms feed on leaves and almost rotten remains of other plants. They obtain all this, as a rule, at night, and fill their burrows with this nutritious material before dawn. And they find food for themselves, focusing on... smell. Yes, yes, the earthworm has a well-developed sense of smell. By the way, earthworms have blood. And, accordingly, circulatory system. The worm's blood is red, just like a human's! Although earthworms are remarkably capable of reproducing sexually, they are also capable of fission and regeneration. That is, if an earthworm is cut in half, after some time both parts will restore the lost parts and become separate organisms.
Once during a lesson on getting to know the world around us, the teacher told us about the diversity of the animal world. I learned that the science of animals is called zoology and zoological scientists divide the animal kingdom into big number groups. I was most interested in the group “Worms”.
From the early childhood we saw earthworms and only now I have a question about what they are needed for, what role they play in nature. The teacher suggested that I conduct research work to study the role of earthworms in soil formation.
The purpose of the experiment is to place earthworms in four containers: in the first, soil with the remains of dry leaves and grass on top; in the second there is compacted soil; in the third, sand and soil are covered in layers; in the fourth there are dry leaves and grass. Wrap all containers in foil and hide them in a dark place, open them after a certain amount of time and look at the changes that have occurred.
The result of my work will be to find out what benefits earthworms bring in nature. I want to find out whether these small, inconspicuous and even unpleasant-looking animals are necessary, or whether they have no significance in nature.
All the questions that arose caused me huge interest, and, I decided to start research work.
I hope that the materials presented in my work will help children understand the importance of simple earthworms in the life of nature. Are there living beings in nature that have no significance, and no one would notice their absence?
Earthworms
All relatively large worms that live in the soil are called earthworms. Everyone is well aware of these creatures, which after rain can be seen on the ground, paths, and in puddles.
Earthworms live in moist soils throughout to the globe. The smallest of them are only 1-2 cm long, but some tropical species- real giants. Their three-meter body often terrifies tourists.
When moving, the earthworm alternately stretches and contracts, clinging to uneven soil with its bristles. At the same time, special cells in its skin produce mucus, which facilitates movement in the ground.
Worms breathe through the entire surface of their skin. Oxygen is carried with the blood through two main vessels - the spinal and abdominal, which permeate the entire body.
Earthworms spend most of their lives underground, where they dig long, intricate tunnels.
The number of worms is huge. For 1 hectare of their land total weight can be several tons. Worms, waking up after hibernation, begin to lay cocoons (one cocoon about once a week) within three months. Over the course of a year, the number of earthworms increases by more than a thousand times. In winter, some young worms may die.
Varieties of earthworms
The most common types of earthworms are:
1. The earthworm is tetrahedral. It is 3-5 cm long, its middle and rear parts of the body are tetrahedral. Found only in very wet places.
2. The stinking earthworm is 6-13cm in length. It got its name from the specific unpleasant odor it emits. Characteristic sign: red or brown rings. Found mainly in manure heaps.
3. The yellowish-green earthworm is 5-7cm in length. Its color can be different: yellowish, greenish, brown. Lives in both slightly moist and very damp soil.
4. The reddish earthworm is 7-15cm in length. The dorsal side is reddish-brown and purple with a pearlescent tint. This is a typical inhabitant of more or less moist humus soil, usually at shallow depths.
5. A terrestrial or common earthworm (crawl) is 9-30 cm in length. Very widespread, especially common in clay soils. On wet nights it crawls to the soil surface for plant remains.
Tireless agricultural technicians
Charles Darwin was one of the first to appreciate the great importance of unattractive earthworms in the life of mankind. He devoted several years of hard work to their research.
Darwin found that earthworms pass through the entire arable layer of soil within a few years. They enrich depleted lands with fresh humus, loosen them, simultaneously fertilizing them with their secretions and leaves taken into burrows. Countless worm holes provide ideal soil drainage and ventilation.
The famous Polish biologist Jan Dembowski draws attention to the presence of a kind of mental activity in earthworms.
I. Akushin studying mental activity earthworms have proven their ability to learn. The worms were placed in a T-shaped maze, in the longest corridor forming the base of the letter “T”. When the worms crawled to the end, they were given the choice to turn right or left. “To the left” there was darkness and food, “to the right” there was a blow electric currents. After several attempts, the worms learned to unerringly move in the right direction - towards food.
E. Yu. Ziborova found that the absence of earthworms in the soil means that soil conditions are unfavorable for their life, and, as a result, the fertility of such soil is extremely low. All earthworms lead the same, nocturnal lifestyle: they spend their entire lives in the ground, digging deep tunnels and thus loosening the earth, crawling to the surface of the soil only at night. They are also forced to leave their water-filled burrows after heavy rains so as not to suffocate. The worm's burrow is a narrow, long channel, which in hot summers can reach a depth of 1.5 meters, with a widening at the end for turning around.
Practical work
Part 1. Beginning of the experiment.
All my work will consist of four experiments. I'll take four containers.
I’ll put earthworms in the first one and cover them with soil, and put small remains of leaves on top. I'll wrap everything in foil and put it in a dark place for 5 days.
In the second, I will place earthworms at the bottom, cover them with earth and tamp them slightly, draw a line indicating the level of the earth in the container. I will wrap it in foil and put it in a dark place for 5 days.
In the third I will place earthworms at the bottom and fill them with sand and soil in layers. I will wrap it in foil and put it in a dark place for 10 days.
I will place earthworms in the fourth container and cover them with small dry leaves and blades of grass. I will wrap it in foil and put it in a dark place for 15 days.
I placed all the containers in a dark place to create conditions close to natural for animals to live in. For the same purpose, the contents of the containers must be periodically sprinkled with water, since earthworms live in moist soil, in the dark.
Part 2. Finding out the changes that occurred over 5 days.
5 days have passed and I can find out what changes occurred in the first two containers. Having taken out the first one, I discovered that the earthworms had dragged all the dry leaves and blades of grass into their holes. It seems to me that for a small worm this is truly a feat - to transport an entire leaf underground, weighing a little less than the worker himself. At first glance, nothing special happened, but upon reflection we can conclude that with the help of these little workers, the soil is fertilized, since the leaves in the ground rot faster and form the necessary fertilizers for better growth plants.
After analyzing the second container, I discovered that the soil had risen above the drawn line. What useful things did the worms do here for 5 days?
Conclusion. Earthworms loosened the soil, allowing more oxygen to penetrate into it, which, like humus, is necessary for better growth and development of plants. But the presence of oxygen is important not only for plants, but also for other animals living in the earth.
Already at the first stage of the experiments, it is clear what benefits these small, inconspicuous animals bring.
Part 3. Finding out the changes that have occurred over 10 days.
Taking out a container in which sand and soil were filled in layers, I discovered that they were mixed. What does this mean? What useful things did the worms do for 10 days?
Conclusion. By passing the soil through their intestines, the worms mix the layers of soil, enriching it with humus.
After analyzing this part of the experiment, I again became convinced that they were loosening the ground.
Part 4. Finding out the changes that have occurred over 15 days.
I discovered interesting changes in the fourth container. Soil formations appeared there. For 15 days, earthworms fed on decaying plant debris. By passing them through themselves, they processed them and formed soil.
Conclusion. Earthworms are soil formers.
Chapter 5. The importance of earthworms in nature.
After analyzing all the experiments carried out, I came to the conclusion that earthworms, these tireless little workers, perform the most difficult work Once the soil is formed, it is loosened and enriched with fertilizers and oxygen. The more earthworms live on a certain piece of land, the more favorable the conditions for the growth and development of plants. Other inhabitants feel more comfortable, since it is easier for them to build homes in loose soil and breathe in it, enriched with oxygen.
Charles Darwin wrote: “The plow is one of the most ancient and highest value inventions of mankind; but long before its invention the soil was properly cultivated by worms, and will always be cultivated by them.”
The fertility, structure and health of the soil restored by worms make it possible to guarantee high yields, so the presence of earthworms in the soil is an important indicator.
Worms can be used on the farm: for processing garbage, manure, sawdust. Passing through the worm's intestines, this waste is converted into fertilizer.
Completing my research work, I can say with complete confidence that the benefits of these small, inconspicuous workers are enormous. They occupy an important stage in nature. Earthworms must be protected and conditions created for their life and reproduction.
In nature, everything is interconnected, and with the disappearance of a simple earthworm, irreparable changes in the fertile soil layer can occur, which will entail disturbances in the development of flora and fauna.
Conclusion.
Carrying out scientific research work on monitoring the life of earthworms, I learned a lot of interesting things, drew attention to things that previously seemed unimportant and insignificant.
I made, in my opinion, very important conclusions that other children need to know. I think that my work will help other people understand that there is nothing unnecessary in nature. It is very important to take care of everything that surrounds us, because the disappearance of an inconspicuous, even externally unpleasant, simple earthworm can lead to irreparable imbalances in nature.
It is necessary to remember the invaluable contribution that earthworms make to soil formation.
1. The soil is fertilized, as the worms drag the remains of leaves and grass into their holes.
2. They loosen the soil, allowing more oxygen to penetrate it.
3. They pass the soil through their intestines, mix the layers of soil, enriching it with oxygen.
4. They are soil formers.
5. Thanks to their activities, plant growth improves. living conditions of animals that live in the ground.
6. But most importantly, I realized that in nature everything is interconnected. Every living organism makes its invaluable contribution to improving the lives of other plants and animals, to improving the living conditions of man himself.