The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms.AMY A`my´ n. 1. A friend. STEWART Being blind, deaf, and spineless, earthworms would seem to lack the tools to be high-impact players in life on Earth. Yet these creatures are pivotal for their role in cleaning and enriching the soil that sustains virtually every other animal on the planet. This point was not lost on Charles Darwin Darwin, city (1991 pop. 67,946), capital of the Northern Territory, N Australia, on Port Darwin, an inlet of the Timor Sea. Remotely situated on the sparsely settled north coast, Darwin had no rail connection with any of the major Australian cities until 2003, when , who spent the last few years of his life studying earthworms. Stewart shares Darwin's fascination. She is an amateur oligochaetologist who keeps some 10,000 earthworms in a composting
Roofed structure, usually open at front and sides, projecting from the face of a building and used to protect an entrance. If colonnaded, it may be called a portico. and has documented almost every worm-world activity. Blending her own observations with those of Darwin and his contemporaries, she offers a fascinating look at a truly unsung creature. Algonquin, 2004, 223 p., hardcover, $23.95. |
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