Forest Without Earthworms (IMAGE)

Smithsonian

Forest Without Earthworms

Caption

A forest without earthworms has a rich understory of herbaceous plants, tree seedlings, and shrubs, and a thick, spongy leaf litter layer. A recent decline in ovenbirds, a ground-nesting migratory songbird, in forests in the northern Midwest US is being linked by scientists to earthworms.

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Photo by Scott Loss

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