We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Earthworm-microbiome interactions: Unlocking next-generation bioindicators and bioengineered solutions for soil and environmental health
AI summary Read the abstract
This review explores how earthworms and their associated microbiomes can serve as bioindicators of soil contamination from pollutants including microplastics. Changes in earthworm gut microbial communities can act as early warning signals of soil pollution, and engineered earthworm-microbiome systems show potential for environmental remediation. The study suggests that understanding these biological interactions could lead to new biomonitoring tools for assessing microplastic contamination in terrestrial ecosystems.
Earthworms, long regarded as indicators of soil fertility and ecosystem stability, are now emerging as hosts to highly diverse and functionally dynamic microbiomes. These symbiotic microbial communities spanning the gut, nephridia, and cuticle play critical roles in nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, pollutant detoxification, and microbial soil network formation. This review synthesizes current advances in earthworm-microbiome research with a focus on their biotechnological potential as next-generation bioindicators and engineered tools for environmental remediation. We explore how shifts in microbial composition and function can serve as early-warning signals of soil contamination from heavy metals, pesticides, and emerging pollutants such as microplastics. Additionally, we highlight the potential for microbiome manipulation via selective enrichment, synthetic biology, or CRISPR-based microbial engineering to enhance composting efficiency, pollutant degradation, and carbon sequestration. By integrating tools such as metagenomics, metabolomics, and AI-driven microbial profiling, this paper outlines a future where earthworm microbiome systems can be harnessed as living biosensors and adaptive agents in climate-smart soil management.
More Papers Like This
Earthworms As An Emerging Biotechnological Intervention in the Mitigation of Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This review explores the emerging role of earthworms as biological agents for degrading microplastics in soil environments. Researchers found that earthworm gut microflora and mucous secretions actively contribute to breaking down plastic polymers through enzymatic depolymerization. The study suggests that earthworm-mediated biodegradation could be a promising biotechnological approach for mitigating microplastic contamination in terrestrial ecosystems.
Bioindicators of the impacts by microplastics in soil: A Systematic Review : a systematic review
AI summary Read the abstract
This systematic review identifies organisms that can serve as bioindicators — living warning signs — for microplastic contamination in soil. Certain earthworms, springtails, and other soil creatures show measurable changes when exposed to microplastics, making them useful tools for monitoring pollution levels. Using these natural indicators could help farmers and environmental managers detect microplastic problems before they worsen.
Microplastic-Earthworm Interactions: A Critical Review
AI summary Read the abstract
This critical review examines how microplastics from diverse plastic waste categories accumulate in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and interact with earthworms, a key soil organism. The authors synthesize evidence on the deleterious effects of increasing microplastic concentrations on soil properties, microbiota, and earthworm physiology.
Microplastics in Agricultural Soil: Fate, Impacts, and Bioremediation by Earthworms
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils and the role earthworms may play in breaking them down. Researchers found that microplastics can harm soil health by disrupting microbial communities, enzyme activity, and nutrient availability, but that earthworms can enhance microplastic degradation through their digestive processes and the microorganisms in their gut. The study suggests that earthworm-based bioremediation could be a practical strategy for reducing microplastic contamination in farmland.
Earthworm Gut Microbiota as a Biological Driver of Plastic Degradation: Implications for Microplastic Mitigation
AI summary Read the abstract
This review paper looked at existing research on earthworms and the bacteria living in their guts, finding that these tiny helpers may be able to break down microplastics in soil through chewing, digestion, and specialized bacteria. Since microplastics in farmland can end up in our food and water, this "worm-powered" cleanup approach could one day help reduce plastic contamination before it reaches us — but scientists still need to prove exactly how well and how fast it actually works.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.