Reprinted from Components, vol. This article will review recent information on earthworms as it relates to the sustainability of agriculture.
Epigeic species live in organic horizons and ingest large amounts of undecomposed litter.
These species produce ephemeral burrows into the mineral soil for diapause periods only. They are relatively exposed to climatic fluctuations and predator pressures, and tend to be small with rapid generation times. Endogeic species forage below the surface, ingest large quantities of soil with a preference towards organic rich soil, and build continuously ramifying burrows that are mostly horizontal. These species are apparently not of major importance in litter incorporation and decomposition since they feed on subsurface material. They are important in other soil formation processes including root decomposition, soil mixing, and aeration.