How do annelids contribute to ecosystem balance?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64171/JAES.6.2.44-58Keywords:
Annelida, Oligochaeta, Hirudinea, Polychaeta, Bioturbation, Nutrient cycling, Soil structure, Benthic ecology, Ecosystem engineersAbstract
Annelids are major contributors to ecological stability in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems. Their activities influence soil formation, nutrient cycling, sediment turnover, water quality, and trophic dynamics. Earthworms and relatives (Clitellata: Polychaeta, Oligochaeta, and Hirudinea) act as primary agents of bioturbation in soils (Darwin, 1881; Edwards and Bohlen, 1996) [8, 13], while polychaetes dominate benthic processes in marine sediments (Fauchald and Jumars, 1979; Kristensen, 2001) [17, 28]. Through feeding, burrowing, and cast production, annelids regulate microbial communities, enhance nutrient availability, and modify habitats in ways that support biodiversity (Lavelle et al., 1997) [31]. This article reviews the principal ecological functions of annelids and their roles as ecosystem engineers across major habitat types.
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