Earthworms (Crassiclitellata)

Annelida -> Clitellata -> Oligochaeta -> Crassiclitellata

The silent workhorses of the soil, earthworms are by far my favourite soil organism (I studied them for my PhD). Their incredible importance was appreciated by the great scientist Charles Darwin, who devoted an entire book to his experiments on their ecology and behaviour (which you can read for free online here). Through their burrowing and feeding, earthworms have a huge impact on how air, water and organic matter are circulated throughout soil profiles - which means they indirectly regulate a lot of the important processes that happen belowground. They’ve even been classified as ‘ecosystem engineers’ in recognition of how much they shape the soil ecosystems around them. In the UK, there’s a society dedicated to promoting and supporting scientific research and conservation of these humble creatures, as well as training courses for surveying and identifying them. To learn more about earthworms and how you can help their conservation in the UK, I recommend visiting both The Earthworm Society of Britain and Field Studies Council’s Biolinks Project.