where a(n) (unsustainable) production system played a key role for the degradation of the biodiversity surrounding it?
Earthworms improve the structure and fertility of soil by accelerating decomposition processes, enhancing nutrient cycling and facilitating water percolation. Conventionally plowed soils reduce earthworm populations drastically. The most vulnerable species to tillage are the larger ‘anecic’ earthworms that create permanent vertical burrows and feed on soil surface residues. However, they can bounce back if conventional plowing is replaced with less disruptive methods.
The findings published in the scientific journal Global Change Biology show a systematic decline in earthworm populations in soils that are ploughed every year. The deeper the soil is turned, the more harmful it is for the earthworms.
Please also visit our post at the Global Soil Biodiversity Blog "Ploughshares are swords… if you are an earthworm": http://blog.globalsoilbiodiversity.org/article/2017/06/07/ploughshares-…
Prof. Maria J.I. Briones