One of Earth’s original recyclers, earthworms are our planet’s greatest composters. They help keep the soil fertile so plants can grow. When they burrow into the ground and turn up soil, they expose it to oxygen. As they dig deep, they eat decomposing organic matter, like leaves and roots, and extract the nutrients from them. When the worms come up to the surface and excretetheir waste, they release those nutrients, which plants need to live and grow. And finally, Earthworms themselves also are a food source for birds and other animals.
An earthworm manages to get by just fine without a lot of the organs and physical features that humans depend upon.The earthworm doesn’t have feet or hands, so it moves around by expanding and contracting the little segments of its body. The earthworm doesn’t have ears, so it can’t hear. But it can sense vibrations that indicate a predator is nearby.