Consider the following statements about earthworms: A. They soften the soil as they keep digging underneath to make tunnels. B. They eat the dead leaves and plants and their droppings fertilise the soil. C. They turn the waste into compost. D. They produce compost which is costlier than the fertilizers made in factories. E. Spraying chemicals (pesticides) does not affect the earthworms. The true statements are

Consider the following statements about earthworms: A. They soften the soil as they keep digging underneath to make tunnels. B. They eat the dead leaves and plants and their droppings fertilise the soil. C. They turn the waste into compost. D. They produce compost which is costlier than the fertilizers made in factories. E. Spraying chemicals (pesticides) does not affect the earthworms. The true statements are Correct Answer A, B and C

​Explanation:

Earthworm:

  • The earthworm is a reddish-brown terrestrial invertebrate.
  • They inhabit the upper layer of the moist soil.
  • During day time, they live in burrows made by boring and swallowing the soil.
  • Earthworms play a vital role in the natural cycle of the earth.
  • The Earthworms soften the soil by digging underneath to make tunnels.
  • They play a crucial role in breaking down organic matter and fertilising the soil, simply through their constant eating and pooping.
  • Earthworms can be used for fishing and compost.
  • Worms are important to the ecosystems in which they live and breed.
  • They are known as farmers friends as their compost helps in enriching the soil and give bountiful produce.
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Annelida
  • Class: Clitellata
  • Family: Lumbricidia

Important Points

Earthworms are useful in several ways for farmers:

  • Earthworms make the soil porous by digging burrows in the soil. Hence they are called friends of the farmers.
  • The nitrogenous wastes and other waste products of the earthworms form food for plants. This process of increasing the fertility of the soil by earthworms is called vermicomposting.
  • Earthworms are used as fish bait to catch fish.
  • Some tribals in India use earthworms as medicine to cure jaundice, piles, diarrhoea, bladder stones, etc.
  • The earthworms reduce both acidity and alkalinity of the soil and create optimum conditions for plant growth.
  • The density of earthworms in the soil is considered to be a good indicator of healthy soil because they increase the soil's water-holding capacity and moisture content.

Thus,

A. They soften the soil as they keep digging underneath to make tunnels. Correct
B. They eat the dead leaves and plants and their droppings fertilise the soil. Correct
C. They turn the waste into compost. Correct
D. They produce compost which is costlier than the fertilizers made in factories. Incorrect
E. Spraying chemicals (pesticides) does not affect the earthworms. Incorrect

Related Questions

Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answers to this item should be based on the passage only. Many farmers use synthetic pesticides to kill infesting insects. The consumption of pesticides in some of the developed countries is touching 3000 grams/hectare. Unfortunately, there are reports that these compounds possess inherent toxicities that endanger the health of the farm operators, consumers and the environment. Synthetic pesticides are generally persistent in environment. Entering in food chain they destroy the microbial diversity and cause ecological imbalance. Their indiscriminate use has resulted in development of resistance among insects to insecticides, upsetting of balance in nature and resources of treated populations. Natural pest control using the botanical pesticides is safer to the user and the environment because they break down into harmless compounds within hours or days in the presence of sunlight. Plants with pesticidal properties have been in nature for millions of years without any ill or adverse effects on the ecosystem. They are easily decomposed by many microbes common in most soils. They help in the maintenance of biological diversity of predators and human health hazards. Botanical pesticides formulated from plants are biodegradable and their use in crop protection is a practical sustainable alternative. On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Synthetic pesticides should never be used in modern agriculture. 2. One of the aims of sustainable agriculture is to ensure minimal ecological imbalance. 3. Botanical pesticides are more effective as compared to synthetic pesticides. Which of the assumptions given above is/are correct?
Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answers to this item should be based on the passage only. Many farmers use synthetic pesticides to kill infesting insects. The consumption of pesticides in some of the developed countries is touching 3000 grams/hectare. Unfortunately, there are reports that these compounds possess inherent toxicities that endanger the health of the farm operators, consumers and the environment. Synthetic pesticides are generally persistent in environment. Entering in food chain they destroy the microbial diversity and cause ecological imbalance. Their indiscriminate use has resulted in development of resistance among insects to insecticides, upsetting of balance in nature and resources of treated populations. Natural pest control using the botanical pesticides is safer to the user and the environment because they break down into harmless compounds within hours or days in the presence of sunlight. Plants with pesticidal properties have been in nature for millions of years without any ill or adverse effects on the ecosystem. They are easily decomposed by many microbes common in most soils. They help in the maintenance of biological diversity of predators and human health hazards. Botanical pesticides formulated from plants are biodegradable and their use in crop protection is a practical sustainable alternative. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding biopesticides? 1. They are not hazardous to human health. 2. They are persistent in environment. 3. They are essential to maintain the biodiversity of any ecosystem. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives and click the button corresponding to it.
Ants have been living on the earth for more than 100 million years and can be found almost anywhere on the planet. It is estimated that there are about 20000 different species of ants. For this reason ants have been called Earth's most successful species. If you watch ants for any length of time you will see that they really do communicate with each other and very effectively too. Ants communicate by touching each other with their antennae. Ants also use chemicals called pheromones to leave scent trails for other ants to follow. Ants build many different types of homes. Many ants build simple little mounds out of dirt or sand. Other ants use small sticks mixed with dirt and sand to make a stronger mound that offers protection from rain. Western Harvester ants make a small mound on top, but then tunnels up to 15 feet straight down to hibernate during winter. Ant mounds consist of many chambers connected by tunnels. Different chambers are used for nurseries, food storage, and resting places for the worker ants. Some ants live in wood like termites. Army ants don't make a home at all but travel in a large groups searching for food. Ants are social insects which means they live in large colonies or groups. Some colonies consist of millions of ants. There are three types of ants in each species, the queen, the sterile female workers and males. The male ants only serve one purpose, to mate with future queen ants and do not live very long. The queen grows to adulthood, mates, and then spends rest of her life laying eggs. A colony may have only one queen, or there may be many queens depending on the species. Ants go through four stages of development: egg, larva, pupa and adult. What does the Western Harvester do in winter ?