By tunneling and casting, worms improve soil aeration and nutrient distribution. 5. The project failed to improve plant growth. Answer: FALSE
Approximately 21,000 earthworms were released, specifically Lumbricus terrestris (garden lobworms) and Aporrectodea longa (black-headed worms).
The derelict site in question, once an industrial area, had lain vacant for decades, a barren expanse devoid of vegetation and teeming with pollutants. The soil was depleted of nutrients, and the ecosystem was severely imbalanced. Traditional remediation methods were considered, but they proved prohibitively expensive and often involved harsh chemicals that could further damage the environment.
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The process involved covering the site with a two‑metre layer of partially treated sewage, mixed with colliery waste. Then, about – Lubricus terrestrius (garden lobworms) and Aporrectodea longa (black‑headed worms) – were introduced to accelerate the conversion of this waste into usable soil. The worms, which are self‑impregnating hermaphrodites, slowly transform the land over 5 to 10 years, a task that would otherwise take up to 60 years.
The reading passage describes a project to reclaim the contaminated Hallside steelworks site near Glasgow using earthworms to speed up soil regeneration. Reading Answers Key