Background Information:
Specimen:
Lumbricus terrestris (Earthworm)
Habitat:
Earthworms usually live in mud around freshwater, or under to soil on land. They require moist soil in order to thrive. Usually earthworms live within the top meter of soil, and spend most of their time just below the surface. This is an ideal area for earthworms because the soil is damp and there is plenty of food.
Food:
Earthworms feed on decomposing plant material. Living near the surface of the soil is ideal for them because there are plenty of dead plants for them to eat. This includes, grasses, leaves, and even dying roots.
Respiration:
Unlike most animals, earthworms don't have any lungs. To breathe, absorb oxygen through their skin. Oxygen absorbed through the skin does directly into the worms bloodstream. An earthworm's skin must be moist in order for it to respirate.
Fun Fact:
A worm must always be damp, but it cannot live in water. A worm's skin cannot absorb oxygen from water. This is why after a heavy rain, earthworms must surface. After a storm, the soil becomes so damp that the worms will suffocate if they do not come up to the surface to breathe oxygen from the air.
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