Case study: The WormEx II Experiment
Photo acknowledgement: Matteo Marra
- Secondary
- Indoor & Outdoor
- Citizen science, Experiment, Hands-on activity
- Italy
The WormEx II Experiment
The WormEx II experiment, originating from the University of Brescia, is designed for high-school classes. It is inspired by Charles Darwin’s observations on worm activity, who demonstrated how small processes can lead to significant changes in nature. Participants in the experiment replicate Darwin’s study on annelid digging activity’s impact on burying bodies on soil surfaces. Through this, pupils observe how soil behaviour varies with annelid activity and how it affects soil infiltration.
Objective
The primary objective is to raise awareness about the importance of healthy soils for society and highlight the hydrological functions of healthy soil.
Approach
The project adopts a community-based participatory research approach, involving collaboration between the university and high school communities. Both high school pupils and university students primarily conduct the activities. By linking soil hydrological properties with soil health, the experiment explores an aspect often overlooked in favour of other soil functions.
The experimental activity consists in two main parts. First, we place a wormstone on an undisturbed lawn and periodically measure its burial within the soil. To encourage earthworm digging activity ,we may add chalk to the soil surface. Second, we estimate the hydrological properties of the soil around the wormstone. By analyzing the datam we can correlate earthworm activity with the local meteorological conditions, as well as with the soil’s hydrological properties.
Link for further information
https://iris.unibs.it/handle/11379/581865 (in English)