Hi Angus & All,
As part of understanding effects of soil profile features on Apple
root development and tree productivity I examined many, some down past 3
metres. And became familiar with earthworm activity at depth.
Earthworm holes tend to have long sections with nearly vertical
orientations and upward branching side 'shoots' each ending in a global
chamber. These chambers provide a way to escape temporary saturation
after heavy rains.
But with other than transient soil saturation, soil Oxygen is
quickly depleted, especially if soil is warm, and savvy earthworms will
head to the surface. And if they happen to take a wrong turn and get on
wet pavement they are unlikely to have enough traction to turn around
and get back to worm friendly soil.
Dave, Kentville
On 8/20/2021 11:11 AM, Angus MacLean wrote:
Dave, I had not considered the lack of earthworms but
your observation
is true in my area (Coldbrook) too. We have a (larger than normal)
asphalt driveway and in past years after rains the surface is littered
with earthworms (no idea why they do this?). Not this summer however.
Must have an effect on Robins in particular.
Angus
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* David Webster <dwebster(a)glinx.com>
*Sent:* August 19, 2021 7:28 PM
*To:* Naturens <naturens(a)chebucto.ns.ca>
*Subject:* [Naturens] Cluster flies and dry spring.
Dear All,
Perhaps not true elsewhere but it was very dry here in what is
normally a wet time of year. Earthworms did not build their compost
structures by pulling petioles and other yard debris into the soil and
I saw almost no worm activity after the dry spell was broken. The
ongoing impact of this did not click until the corn season arrived.
Normally when I eat corn outdoors the cobs are swarming with
cluster flies as soon as the kernels are not excessively hot. This
summer I have eaten corn in the yard many times (top notch corn is grown
just a few miles away) and have not seen one fly near the cobs ; cluster
or otherwise.
And I dug a fair sized garden this year and saw very few
earthworms. So it suddenly clicked; unusually dry weather early in the
period of soil warming has ramifications which extend far beyond the
period when topsoil becomes moist.
Dave, Kentville
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