How Does Earthworm Maintain Gas Exchange

All organisms require respiration system in order for them to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Respiration system is important as they provide energy to the cells for the body function. The gas exchange requires aerobic respiration to work, as gas exchange dissolved oxygen from the respiratory organs (skin for worms) to the bloodstream, and remove carbon dioxide from the bloodstream to the respiratory organs. All organisms needs gas exchange as they need oxygen for a cell to obtain energy and carbon dioxide must be expel to avoid becoming acidic inside the cell. For gas exchange to occur efficiently there must be a large surface area to allow the gases to diffuse into and out of, a moist surface so that gases can dissolve before diffusing,

Earthworm has a long and thin body surface that provides the necessary of large surface area. Large surface area is increases the efficiency of gas exchange because it gives more spaces for gases to diffuse across their skin. Earthworms kept their skin wet through their behavior. They are behaviourally adapted to keep their moist during the day by burrowing deeper into the soil during dry weather to avoid desiccation. They get oxygen from the soil, too much moisture is dangerous for them because there would be more water than air, therefore they will only get small amount of oxygen.The soil becomes saturated so they can not removed carbon dioxide nor absorbed oxygen. After heavy rainfall, they crawl to the moist soil. They are behaviourally adapted to control the amount of water in the environment, so they can still carry out gas exchange even if there is too much or less of moisture. Another way Earthworms kept their body surface moist is the secretion of mucus from the epidermis by trapping and dissolving the oxygen from the air. Earthworms have a low metabolic rate this provides more oxygen for diffusion as they does not use up oxygen quickly. Their blood vessels also This increases the capacity for gas exchange by providing a short distances diffusion for