Right, but for thousands of years there was apparently no worm population. The plant composition changed significantly once worms became widespread. So they're beneficial in some cases, but not essential ecosystem cogs.
They don't live under ice. There were worms before the ice. It's not as big a deal as the doom trollers make it out to be. The earth has never been a static system.
And when it rains, they come up and many die in gutters and concrete they crawl upon and cannot find dirt again.
Obv this is good for the Early Birds, but the worms are important for the soil..
(one thing humans havent really paid attention/cared about is what the blankets of concrete do to kill a healthy soil in an area...
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Also, I am surpised nobody mentioned https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCDIYvFmgW8 <<-- The whole premise of DUNE