Worms Put New Life Into Derelict Site Reading Answers -

Excreted casts can chemically bind certain heavy metals, rendering them insoluble.

– The government provided all the funding for the project.

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Burrowing earthworms act as natural plows. As they move through compacted substrate, they create an extensive network of tunnels.

: It was heavily contaminated with heavy metals (chromium, cadmium, lead) and the soil was too compacted for "brick and mortar" development. What is the role of the worms? : To accelerate soil recomposition worms put new life into derelict site reading answers

One specific and interesting feature mentioned is the worms' ability to convert toxic waste into organic fertilizer (often referred to as "worm castings" or vermicompost).

The reading passage describes a pioneering project at the former Hallside steelworks near Glasgow . Thousands of earthworms are being used to transform contaminated, compacted land into a productive woodland and energy park . Excreted casts can chemically bind certain heavy metals,

Sean Ince, of Bell‘s department of biology, says: “The idea is that earthworms will contribute in a cumulative way to further soil binding, and that they will aerate and add nitrogen to the soil covering the Hallside site.” At the same time, Scottish Greenbelt has begun planting the area with 250,000 trees – including willow and alder – specially selected for their ability to grow on degraded land. These will have the dual function of extracting contaminants from the soil through their root systems and being harvested for wood burning or chipboard manufacture.