Vermicompost is the product of the decomposition process using various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white worms, and other earthworms, to create a mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast. Vermicast is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by earthworms. Vermicompost (vermicompost, vermiculture) is the product of the decomposition process using various species of lodging, mostly red inverters, white and other earthworms, to create a mixture of vegetable waste and vermicast. Vermicast (also called worm casting, worm humus, worm manure or worm droppings) is the final product of the breakdown of organic matter by earthworms . These molded parts have been shown to contain lower levels of contaminants and higher nutrient saturation than organic materials Vermicompost contains water-soluble nutrients and is an excellent organic nutrient-rich fertilizer. It is used in agriculture and small-scale sustainable organic farming. Vermicompost has been shown to be richer in many nutrients than compost produced by other composting methods. It has also outperformed a commercial plant medium with nutrients added, but levels of magnesium required adjustment, as did pH. However, in one study it has been found that homemade backyard vermicompost was lower in microbial biomass, soil microbial activity, and yield of a species of ryegrass than municipal compost. It is rich in microbial life which converts nutrients already present in the soil into plant-available forms.