麻豆传媒

We’ve all seen them wriggling around in the soil or crawling across the sidewalk after a heavy rain. The humble earthworm is ubiquitous and has largely enjoyed a positive reputation as one of nature’s most celebrated do-gooders. 

But the impact of earthworms on various ecosystems is surprisingly complex. Many species of earthworms in the Northeastern United States are invasive, and forests in this part of the country — which have evolved for more than 10,000 years without them — experience significant damage as a result of earthworm activity. 

Nick Henshue has made it his life’s work to better understand these underground organisms. Initially inspired by an activity book on invasive species from his days teaching high school science, he has delved into the biology and ecological ramifications of earthworms with the same curiosity and enthusiasm that first drove him to explore the woods behind his house as a kid. 

Now, Henshue is an associate teaching professor of ecology in the College of Arts and Sciences and co-director of the EarthEd Institute — two avenues that enable him to share his infectious fascination with the natural world with as many people as he can. 

He’s also this month’s guest on Driven to Discover, the University Communications podcast that explores UB research through candid conversations with researchers about their inspirations and goals. 

In this episode, Henshue talks about the world of activity happening under a forest’s surface, the ingenious method that trees use to talk to each other and the ways earthworms can disrupt this delicate communication system. He also zooms into the Western New York region and one type of earthworm in particular — the jumping worm — which was first spotted in the area around five years ago and has been especially damaging to local forests. 

But earthworms aren’t all bad. Henshue’s current research focuses on the benefits they can bring to contaminated soil, a widespread problem in Buffalo.

“We have 200 years of industrial sins that we need to pay for,” he says, “and we have a ton of brownfields and post-industrial sites that need some love.” 

Henshue’s passion for his subject is matched only by his love for teaching — what he calls his “superpower” — and he shares how he keeps his students optimistic in what feels like an increasingly fraught time for the environment. 

“I know it doesn’t always feel this way,” he says, “but environmentally, we are heads and shoulders above where we were just 50 years ago.”