Researchers Build a Case for Earthworm's Slimy Reputation (Earthworms: The Silent Killers)

New York Times ^ | October 28, 2003 | ANNE MINARD

[presidio9]

Most of North America's native earthworms were killed thousands of years
ago when the northern section of the continent was covered by glaciers,
scientists say. Now, new research suggests that earthworms,
many of them immigrants from Europe, can become destructive when they
invade forests. Biologists are meeting this week in Athens,
Ga., to address the problem and the possible solutions.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Either that, or we need to do more fishing.

[camle]

are you sure this ain't from the onion?

[xzins]

Mu'ad Dib, the worm is the spice; the spice is the worm.

[presidio9]

are you sure this ain't from the onion?

The sub-heading is mine. It just amuses me that the liberal hand-wringers at the NY Times can not be truely happy unless they come up with a new end-of-the-world scenario each and every week for their Science Times section on Tuesday. Want to know why earthworms will not be taking over the world any time soon? They have become the primary foodsource for much of our indigenous wildlife.

[Snuffington]

But those same actions can damage pristine ecosystems.

There is no such thing as a "pristine" ecosystem. All ecosystems constantly undergo change. The most harmful thing I can imagine an ecosystem undergoing is being frozen in time and not allowed to change. So guess what most "environmentalists" are trying to do?

[Lil'freeper]

worms can indeed help aerate the ground by burrowing. Their digestive processes break down nutrients, making them more accessible to growing plants. But those same actions can damage pristine ecosystems

Ohfercryin'outloud!

[Gritty]

efforts to contain the spread of earthworms... drivers would have to rinse their off-road vehicle tires before traveling into wilderness areas to safeguard against moving worms. Dumping unused fishing bait could become a criminal act.

Do I smell an Enviromentalist agenda here?

[camle]

what a way to go - gnawed to death by an earthworm!

[Ole Okie]

Damn! The sky is falling in myriad ways!

Fancy that: earthworms cause global warming!!!

Or something.

[KarlInOhio]

We need a Federal Bureau of Earthworm Research. The early Byrd will make sure that it is put in West Virginia.

[TheBigB]

THEY'RE COMING!!!

[Vigilantcitizen]

I do know that here in my backyard in Georgia, earthworms, especially the pink version, are very deadly to the local bluegill and shellcracker populations. :)

[presidio9]

[eggman]

Ms. Hale speaks from experience. "I started a worm farm when I was a kid at my house," she said. "Now our oak woods is nothing but buckthorn."

Those must have been some nasty worms to destroy an oak forest in just a few decades. And it was all because of that worm farm she had as a kid. What a crock of worm food.

[upchuck]

Ms. Hale speaks from experience. "I started a worm farm when I was a kid at my house," she said. "Now our oak woods is nothing but buckthorn."

Thank goodness this woman gets off on earth worms. With a mind like that, God forbid she be put in charge of something important.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Glad to see someone is putting their foot down.

[Elsie]

...drivers would have to rinse their off-road vehicle tires before traveling into wilderness areas to safeguard against moving worms. Dumping unused fishing bait could become a criminal act.

 

Count the BAD words...

 

drivers      : highway deaths - added air pollution

rinse        : improper disposal of possibly detergent laden wastewater

off-road     : damaging to the eco-system

vehicle      : added air pollution - lack of exercise - obesity

tires        : disposal problems - west nile breeding ground

traveling    : waste of needed resources

wilderness   : where the animals ONLY should be

fishing bait : inefficient use of time and labor -

               unethical removal of free-ranging lifeform -

               possible death of endangered specie by hooking wrongly

[cogitator]

Earthworms (Minnesota DNR) (good comparison pictures of altered forest)

Worm Attacks: Invading earthworms threaten rare U.S. fern

Exotic Worms Killing Native N. American Plants (National Geographic)

Invasion of the killer worms: Nonnatives munching forest floor

[Bad Dog2]

Aw $hit, now we're faced with an illegal immigrant worm problem! This really reaching conspiracy level. Where's ma tin foil?