Abstract:The ways in which earthworms perform as bioindicators of soil pollution are reviewed as follows:(1)Earth-worm population in contaminated sites reflects the degree of soil pollution as a whole;(2)For ecotoxicologial risk assessment, earthworms serve as an important indicator for potential pollutants damaging the soil eco-system;(3)Earthworms act as an early warning system in monitoring changes in soil pollution.The main mechanisms of earthworms.resistance to metal pollutants are also elaborated:(1)its lipid ant ioxidative enzyme system helps relieve the stress of oxidation;(2)Compartment and immobilization of metals;(3)Process of chelating and detoxicification;(4)Lysosome and cellular plasmid are activated to restrain activity of heavy metals.Meanwhile,the potential of earthworms to enhance soil bioremediation is discussed and it is believed that earth-worms do so by improving physical and chemical characteristics,activating microbes,changing bioavailability of pollutants in soil.