A Study on Earthworm Population and Diversity with Special Reference to Physicochemical Parameters in Different Habitats of South 24 Parganas District in West Bengal

The silent role of earthworms in improving soil properties especially role of earthworms in promoting soil fertility, has been known since ancient times. Darwin (1881) was the first to observe and offer a scientific explanation of their true role in the ecosystem and his conclusions led to an upsurge of interest in earthworms from the late nineteenth century onwards (Vejdovsky 1884; Beddard 1895, 1912; Michaelsen 1900; Stephenson 1923, 1930; and Bahl 1950).