Billy wrote:
songbird wrote:

calciferous fragment? ;o)

the short way of saying any mineral
particle that contains calcium (in
some form).


Worms can cycle the calcium in an environment, but they can't add to it
by their presence. You need a source like dead (preferably;O) animals,
limestone, or egg shells.

those last two, i.e. calciferous
fragments.

they may not add it, but i think
they do make what is there more
accessible.


I think worms are big into leaves, forest litter, and mulch.

especially the forest litter... but they do ingest
fragments of rocks for their gizzards to grind stuff
with. and if those fragments have calcium in them in
some form the grinding will make that calcium more
accessible to plants than it was previously.

some time when i am rich and famous i'll run a study
in my lab and see what actually is going on.

note that some worm species do not dwell in leaf
litter, instead they feed more in the subsoil and
around plant roots. you don't find them on or
near the surface unless they have been flooded.


The World Without Us by Alan Weisman (Jul 10, 2007)

http://www.amazon.com/World-Without-...1C2E0QK/ref=sr
_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300338811&sr=1-1

You'll like it.

i think i've read that one, but don't recall
specifics at the moment.


songbird