The discussion was about earthworms-
I’ve maintaining and culturing earthworms at my HOMELAB since October 2021 (~9 months!)
So how am I maintaining these earthworms?
I’m maintaining these earthworms in Tissue paper cup cultures.
Then we discussed about one Big earthworm from my HOMELAB
[Big meaning the earthworms is big in size ~15cm long for mature earthworms]
Then Thikan Sahu from Chaitanya College, Chattisgarh had also joined
Thikan has also done an experiment with earthworm-
On 25 July Thikan found earthworms in her garden after rain.
She didn’t dig the garden looking for earthworm the earthworms just came on soil surface after rain.
We all often see earthworms surfacing in Rainy season the rain makes earthworms come out but how and why?
Earthworms live in soil and breathe in oxygen from air.
But how do they Breathe in soil is there air inside soil?
Yes, the earthworms burrow in soil and as they move they make tunnels in soil and these tunnels act as a passage for air to go in soil and then earthworms breathe in that air.
But when in rains the tunnels fill with water as a result there is no passage for air which means earthworms won’t be able to breathe so earthworms come up on surface to save themselves.
Then we discuss about soil vermiculture-
So I’ve been maintaining vermiculture for my earthworms
For making vermiculture-
- Took a plastic container and poked holes at the bottom of it
- Added a layer of shredded cardboard and poured some water to wet it
- Added a layer of soil
- Added a layer of vegetable waste
- Added another layer of soil
- Poured water to wet the whole setup
Initially I didn’t know why I was adding cardboard
(I had watched some YouTube videos on how to make vermiculture and followed the method)
Then after discussion I think the reason for adding cardboard to vermiculture is that when I add too much water the cardboard will absorb extra water.
What if we don’t add the cardboard and excess water remains in vermiculture, how will earthworm breath then?
Can earthworms be a Context to Understand Respiration?