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Earthworm Burrows and Soil Oxygen Diffusion

Interactive 3D reaction-diffusion simulation of soil oxygen: watch earthworm burrow networks act as high-diffusivity macropores that raise the aerobic depth of a soil profile, with adjustable burrow density, soil texture and microbial respiration.

Ecology & Conservation Biology3DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

This simulation solves a real reaction–diffusion equation — Fick's second law with a microbial consumption sink — on a 3D voxel grid representing a soil profile. Earthworm burrows are generated as a random-walk macropore network and act as high-diffusivity channels through the soil matrix, letting you watch oxygen penetrate deeper wherever burrows exist. Adjust the burrow count and diameter, switch between clay, loam and sand (each with a different bulk diffusivity), and tune the microbial respiration rate to see how the aerobic zone depth and the effective diffusivity of the profile respond, with live worms crawling through their tunnels for scale.

⚙ Under the hood

An interactive 3D reaction-diffusion simulation of soil oxygen: earthworm burrow networks act as high-diffusivity macropores that raise the aerobic depth of a soil profile, with adjustable burrow density, soil texture and microbial respiration.

soil scienceecologydiffusionearthwormsreaction-diffusionaeration

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install