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About Mack Jean
Expertise
Master Gardener
Experience
Certified Master Gardener (University of Georgia, 1987:
Raised Bed Gardens,
Container Gardening,
French Intensive Gardening Method,
Organic Gardening Methods,
Vegetables,
Fruits,
Composting,
Herbs,
Roses,
Lawns,
Flowering Shrubs
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You are here: Experts > Food/Drink > Vegetarian Cuisine > Organic Gardens > Earthworms
Expert: Mack Jean - 10/18/2009
Question
Hi! I'm a 6th grader going to a magnet school. We have a project going on requiring us to interview someone. What is the Maximum and minimum temperatures worms can live in? Would temperature affect there reproduction and food consumption? If so, would you estimate there reproduction to go up due to heat increase or decrease? If you could answer any of these questions I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks, Vidal
Answer
Dear Vidal:
Earthworms survive best in temperatures ranging from 50° F to 75° F, which is the approximate temperature of an ambient air cooled gardener's compost heap during summer months. Earthworms cannot maintain a steady body temperature like humans or dogs or cattle. This means their respiration rate rises with increasing temperature. Increasing respiration rates mean increased metabolic rates which means increased energy requirements which means increased feeding rates by worms or food must be "stolen" from reserves in the worms' own body tissues. The reverse is true for decreasing temperatures. Different species of earthworms are adapted to different climates (temperature and moisture) and to different soil types (high organic carbon content) to mineral soils (very low carbon content). These adaptations are responsible for a wide range of physiological differences between earthworm species.
I am unaware of any specific available data regarding earthworms' reproduction and its correlation to temperature.
Good luck with your project.
Sincerely,
Mack Jean
AllExperts
Master Gardener
Tennessee
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