Earthworm research BOKU-Zoology

Earthworm research at the Institute of Zoology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) investigates the crucial importance of these organisms for soil function and sustainable soil use. The focus is on the biodiversity, distribution and ecology of earthworms, as well as their interactions with soil properties, vegetation and agricultural practices. As so-called ‘ecosystem engineers’, earthworms influence, amongst other things, soil structure, pore formation, aeration, water infiltration and the decomposition of organic matter through their burrowing and feeding activities. The research also examines the effects of land-use changes, tillage, fertilisation and other anthropogenic pressures on earthworm communities. This involves combining field studies, controlled experiments and taxonomic or molecular biological methods. A further focus is on the use of earthworms as bioindicators of soil quality and environmental changes. The findings contribute to a better understanding of soil biodiversity, the development of soil-conserving farming practices and the safeguarding of the long-term provision of key ecosystem services. In this way, earthworm research at the BOKU Institute of Zoology combines fundamental zoological research with practical issues relating to soil and biodiversity conservation.