Citation
The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms, with Observations on their Habits
TL;DR
Approximately 53,767 earthworms per acre in arable land
Darwin's final scientific book, published months before his death, documents his 40-year study of earthworms as ecosystem engineers. His meticulous observations - 53,767 worms per acre, 10-18 tons of soil moved annually - established that 'worms have played a more important part in the history of the world than most persons would at first suppose.'
This is the original ecosystem engineering research. For business leaders, Darwin's insight translates directly: infrastructure providers (AWS, Visa) may seem less visible than consumer-facing companies, but they create the conditions that enable entire industries to exist.
Key Findings from Darwin (1881)
- Approximately 53,767 earthworms per acre in arable land
- Worms move 10-18 tons of soil annually to the surface
- Earthworm activity buries objects and creates soil structure
- Worms play a fundamental role in soil formation and fertility