Dec 5, 2023 at 9:14 PM Update: 37 minutes ago
More than fifteen hundred Dutch people have counted animals in their garden soil. In this way they mapped out what lives beneath our feet in cities and villages. The earthworm was seen most often, followed by the spider and woodlouse.
In addition to Parcel Eve, December 5 is also World Soil Day. To mark this occasion, the Netherlands Institute of Ecology today announced how many animals were counted during the Soil Animal Days. More than fifteen hundred people counted at the end of September and the beginning of October how many soil animals they encountered in their garden or another place nearby.
87 percent of the participants found an earthworm in the garden. They also often found spiders (86 percent) and woodlice (83 percent). All these animals were seen in more gardens than last year. Slugs, ants and beetles were also spotted more often than average.
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The participants found an average of 42 soil animals in the ground. This is more than average in previous counts. According to researchers from the Soil Animal Days, this is due to this year’s cool, moist weather. Many soil animals are sensitive to drought.
The animals were not counted precisely. Participants were asked to keep track of the species they saw and estimate how many they observed per species.
Soil animal days introduce people to gardens
The Soil Animal Days are an initiative of the Netherlands Institute for Ecology and Wageningen University & Research. The count introduces participants to their garden in two ways, says organizer Froukje Rienks.
“They not only help in gaining knowledge, but also get to know what lives in their garden. It is good to realize that there is a whole universe under your feet, which is essential to keep nature healthy.”
The count is also very useful for scientists. “A lot of people help us, in places where we don’t easily reach. We can never reach that size ourselves.”
Beeld: gettyimages
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2023-12-05 20:14:03
#Dutch #map #garden #soil #earthworm #commonly #Animals
