Soil ecosystems contain extraordinary densities of invertebrates whose welfare is increasingly considered as agricultural practices that damage soil health come under scrutiny.
The moral status of soil invertebrates is uncertain — earthworms have nociceptors and respond to harmful stimuli, but whether they have subjective experiences remains scientifically unresolved. Despite this uncertainty, the precautionary principle suggests that agricultural practices causing mass invertebrate death and displacement deserve moral attention. Intensive tillage can bring billions of invertebrates to the surface where they desiccate or are consumed by birds, and may cause harm to those with pain-like systems. Supporting soil health through reduced tillage and organic matter addition may have significant welfare implications at scale.