EARTHWORMS AND SEEDS

Large earthworms consume substantial numbers of seeds, above and below ground. Many are deposited in a viable state in wormcasts on the soil surface. Such wormcasts apparently provide particularly favourable co nditions for seedling establishment. Plants with seeds that are readil y ingested by earthworms are likely to be an advantage over other spec ies in a least some communities. This neglected area of plant-animal i nteractions lends itself well to student projects, a number of which a re suggested. Such investigations could yield valuable new information , with implications for turf management and the composition of natural communities.