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posted by janrinok on Thursday August 06 2015, @10:02PM   Printer-friendly
from the turning-over-a-new-leaf dept.

The natural defenses of dead plants -- which are designed to inhibit enzymes in the gut to prevent digestion -- would be toxic for any other animal. But a group of researchers from Imperial College London have discovered new molecules in the worm gut, named drilodefensins, that can counteract the toxins, breaking them down the way that dish liquid breaks apart grease.

"Without drilodefensins, fallen leaves would remain on the surface of the ground for a very long time, building up to a thick layer," said Jake Bundy, an author of the study and a professor at Imperial College, in a statement. "Our countryside would be unrecognizable, and the whole system of carbon cycling would be disrupted."

The humble worm is amazing. It can turn lawn waste and food scraps into rich black soil in a matter of weeks.


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  • (Score: 2) by wonkey_monkey on Thursday August 06 2015, @10:28PM

    by wonkey_monkey (279) on Thursday August 06 2015, @10:28PM (#219296) Homepage

    The humble worm is amazing. It can turn lawn waste and food scraps into rich black soil in a matter of weeks.

    Pfft. I can turn chunks of cooked cow into rich brown fertiliser in a few hours!

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  • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday August 06 2015, @11:19PM

    by Freeman (732) on Thursday August 06 2015, @11:19PM (#219313) Journal

    The difference being that I wouldn't want to fertilize my garden with your "fertilizer".

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