Of all the members of the soil food web, earthworms need the least introduction. Most people become familiar with these soft, slimy, invertebrates at a young age. Earthworms are hermaphrodites, meaning that they exhibit both male and female characteristics.
(
gronkpan https://twitter.com/VomitingLarry,
Thu 30 Aug 2007, 11:17,
archived)
They are major decomposers of dead and decomposing organic matter, and derive their nutrition from the bacteria and fungi that grow upon these materials. They fragment organic matter and make major contributions to recycling the nutrients it contains.
( gronkpan https://twitter.com/VomitingLarry,
Thu 30 Aug 2007, 11:21,
archived)
In terms of biomass and overall activity, earthworms dominate the world of soil invertebrates, including arthropods.
( gronkpan https://twitter.com/VomitingLarry,
Thu 30 Aug 2007, 11:26,
archived)