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Jiang MG, Yang J, Xu Q, Qi L, Gao Y, Zhao C, Lu H, Miao Y, Han S. The responses of CO 2 emission to nitrogen application and earthworm addition in the soybean cropland. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17176. [PMID: 38560479 PMCID: PMC10979750 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The effects of nitrogen application or earthworms on soil respiration in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China have received increasing attention. However, the response of soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emission to nitrogen application and earthworm addition is still unclear. A field experiment with nitrogen application frequency and earthworm addition was conducted in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. Results showed nitrogen application frequency had a significant effect on soil respiration, but neither earthworms nor their interaction with nitrogen application frequency were significant. Low-frequency nitrogen application (NL) significantly increased soil respiration by 25%, while high-frequency nitrogen application (NH), earthworm addition (E), earthworm and high-frequency nitrogen application (E*NH), and earthworm and low-frequency nitrogen application (E*NL) also increased soil respiration by 21%, 21%, 12%, and 11%, respectively. The main reason for the rise in soil respiration was alterations in the bacterial richness and keystone taxa (Myxococcales). The NH resulted in higher soil nitrogen levels compared to NL, but NL had the highest bacterial richness. The abundance of Corynebacteriales and Gammaproteobacteria were positively connected with the CO2 emissions, while Myxococcales, Thermoleophilia, and Verrucomicrobia were negatively correlated. Our findings indicate the ecological importance of bacterial communities in regulating the carbon cycle in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jingyuan Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Henan, China
| | - Qi Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Henan, China
| | - Linyu Qi
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Henan, China
| | - Yue Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Henan, China
| | - Cancan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Henan, China
- Henan Dabieshan National Field Observation and Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Xinyang Academy of Ecological Research, Xinyang, China
| | - Huijie Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Henan, China
| | - Yuan Miao
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Henan, China
- Henan Dabieshan National Field Observation and Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Xinyang Academy of Ecological Research, Xinyang, China
| | - Shijie Han
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Henan, China
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Thouvenot L, Ferlian O, Craven D, Johnson EA, Köhler J, Lochner A, Quosh J, Zeuner A, Eisenhauer N. Invasive earthworms can change understory plant community traits and reduce plant functional diversity. iScience 2024; 27:109036. [PMID: 38361612 PMCID: PMC10867650 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Among the most important impacts of biological invasions on biodiversity is biotic homogenization, which may further compromise key ecosystem processes. However, the extent to which they homogenize functional diversity and shift dominant ecological strategies of invaded communities remains uncertain. Here, we investigated changes in plant communities in a northern North American forest in response to invasive earthworms, by examining the taxonomic and functional diversity of the plant community and soil ecosystem functions. We found that although plant taxonomic diversity did not change in response to invasive earthworms, they modified the dominance structure of plant functional groups. Invasive earthworms promoted the dominance of fast-growing plants at the expense of slow-growing ones. Moreover, earthworms decreased plant functional diversity, which coincided with changes in abiotic and biotic soil properties. Our study reveals that invasive earthworms erode multiple biodiversity facets of invaded forests, with potential cascading effects on ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Thouvenot
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dylan Craven
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide Huechuraba 5750, Santiago, Chile
- Data Observatory Foundation, Santiago, Chile
| | - Edward A. Johnson
- Department Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Johannes Köhler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alfred Lochner
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julius Quosh
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Zeuner
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Kaspari M, Weiser MD, Siler CD, Marshall KE, Smith SN, Stroh KM, de Beurs KM. Capacity and establishment rules govern the number of nonnative species in communities of ground-dwelling invertebrates. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10856. [PMID: 38487748 PMCID: PMC10937486 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Nonnative species are a key agent of global change. However, nonnative invertebrates remain understudied at the community scales where they are most likely to drive local extirpations. We use the North American NEON pitfall trapping network to document the number of nonnative species from 51 invertebrate communities, testing four classes of drivers. We sequenced samples using the eDNA from the sample's storage ethanol. We used AICc informed regression to evaluate how native species richness, productivity, habitat, temperature, and human population density and vehicular traffic account for continent-wide variation in the number of nonnative species in a local community. The percentage of nonnatives varied 3-fold among habitat types and over 10-fold (0%-14%) overall. We found evidence for two types of constraints on nonnative diversity. Consistent with Capacity rules (i.e., how the number of niches and individuals reflect the number of species an ecosystem can support) nonnatives increased with existing native species richness and ecosystem productivity. Consistent with Establishment Rules (i.e., how the dispersal rate of nonnative propagules and the number of open sites limits nonnative species richness) nonnatives increased with automobile traffic-a measure of human-generated propagule pressure-and were twice as common in pastures than native grasslands. After accounting for drivers associated with a community's ability to support native species (native species richness and productivity), nonnatives are more common in communities that are regularly seasonally disturbed (pastures and, potentially deciduous forests) and those experiencing more vehicular traffic. These baseline values across the US North America will allow NEON's monitoring mission to document how anthropogenic change-from disturbance to propagule transport, from temperature to trends in local extinction-further shape biotic homogenization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kaspari
- Geographical Ecology Group, Department of BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
- Conservation Ecology CenterSmithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstituteFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | - Michael D. Weiser
- Geographical Ecology Group, Department of BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
| | - Cameron D. Siler
- Geographical Ecology Group, Department of BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
| | - Katie E. Marshall
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Sierra N. Smith
- Geographical Ecology Group, Department of BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
| | - Katherine M. Stroh
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
| | - Kirsten M. de Beurs
- Laboratory of Geo‐Information Science and Remote SensingWageningen University and ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
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Ferlian O, Goldmann K, Bonkowski M, Dumack K, Wubet T, Eisenhauer N. Invasive earthworms shift soil microbial community structure in northern North American forest ecosystems. iScience 2024; 27:108889. [PMID: 38322986 PMCID: PMC10844042 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive earthworms colonize ecosystems around the globe. Compared to other species' invasions, earthworm invasions have received little attention. Previous studies indicated their tremendous effects on resident soil biota representing a major part of the terrestrial biodiversity. We investigated effects of earthworm invasion on soil microbial communities in three forests in North America by conducting DNA sequencing of soil bacteria, fungi, and protists in two soil depths. Our study shows that microbial diversity was lower in highly invaded forest areas. While bacterial diversity was strongly affected compared to fungi and protists, fungal community composition and family dominance were strongly affected compared to bacteria and protists. We found most species specialized on invasion in fungi, mainly represented by saprotrophs. Comparably, few protist species, mostly bacterivorous, were specialized on invasion. As one of the first observational studies, we investigated earthworm invasion on three kingdoms showing distinct taxa- and trophic level-specific responses to earthworm invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kezia Goldmann
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Soil Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Michael Bonkowski
- Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Köln, Germany
| | - Kenneth Dumack
- Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Köln, Germany
| | - Tesfaye Wubet
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Community Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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5
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Jonsson H, Olofsson J, Blume-Werry G, Klaminder J. Cascading effects of earthworm invasion increase graminoid density and rodent grazing intensities. Ecology 2024; 105:e4212. [PMID: 37996966 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Human-mediated dispersal of non-native earthworms can cause substantial changes to the functioning and composition of ecosystems previously earthworm-free. Some of these earthworm species have the potential to "geoengineer" soils and increase plant nitrogen (N) uptake. Yet the possible consequences of increased plant N concentrations on rodent grazing remains poorly understood. In this study, we present findings from a common garden experiment with two tundra communities, meadow (forb dominated) and heath (shrub dominated), half of them subjected to 4 years of earthworm presence (Lumbricus spp. and Aporrectodea spp.). Within four summers, our earthworm treatment changed plant community composition by increasing graminoid density by, on average, 94% in the heath vegetation and by 49% in the meadow. Rodent winter grazing was more intense on plants growing in soils with earthworms, an effect that coincided with higher N concentrations in plants, indicating a higher palatability. Even though earthworms reduced soil moisture, plant community productivity, as indicated by vegetation greenness (normalized difference vegetation index), was not negatively impacted. We conclude that earthworm-induced changes in plant composition and trophic interactions may fundamentally alter the functioning of tundra ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Jonsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Johan Olofsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Gesche Blume-Werry
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jonatan Klaminder
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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6
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Ge Y, Huang C, Zhou W, Shen Z, Qiao Y. Eisenia fetida impact on cadmium availability and distribution in specific components of the earthworm drilosphere. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:112222-112235. [PMID: 37831264 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30335-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Although the potential of vermiremediation for restoring metal-contaminated soils is promising, the effects of earthworms on the availability of soil metals are still debatable. Most previous studies considered the soil as a "whole black box." Mobilization or immobilization of metals are affected by earthworm activities within drilosphere hotspots under different soil conditions, which has not been specifically studied. Therefore, an improved 2D terrarium was designed to study the impact of earthworm activities on cadmium (Cd) fate in the drilosphere hotspots (burrow wall soils, burrow casts, and surface casts) of different artificially spiked Cd treatments (CK: 0 mg kg-1; LM: 1 mg kg-1; and HM: 5 mg kg-1) with different organic amendments (2% and 10%). The results revealed that Cd increased earthworm activities with the highest cast production in HM and the highest burrow length in LM. Earthworms exhibited a stronger tendency to reduce total Cd concentration by 4.48-13.58% in casts of LM soils, while 3.37-5.22% in burrow walls under HM treatments. Overall, earthworms could increase the availability of Cd in casts under all conditions (55.46-121.01%). The organic amendments decreased the total Cd concentration and increased the availability of Cd in the disturbed soil. A higher amount of organic amendment significantly decreased total Cd concentration of the drilosphere by 1.16-5.83% in LM and HM treatments, while increasing DTPA-Cd concentrations in all components by 23.13-55.20 %, 14.63-35.11%, and 3.30-11.41% in CK, LM, and HM treatments, respectively, except for earthworm non-disturbed soil and no-earthworm soil in HM treatments. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that the moisture, pH, and total carbon contents in soil are the main factors affecting Cd bioavailability. In this study, we decoded the "black box" of soil by making it relatively simple to better understand the effects and mechanisms of earthworm activities on soil metal availability and consequently provided comprehensive insights for using earthworms in soil vermiremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ge
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Caide Huang
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhiqiang Shen
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuhui Qiao
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Organic Farming, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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7
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Angst G, Mueller KE, Castellano MJ, Vogel C, Wiesmeier M, Mueller CW. Unlocking complex soil systems as carbon sinks: multi-pool management as the key. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2967. [PMID: 37322013 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38700-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Much research focuses on increasing carbon storage in mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), in which carbon may persist for centuries to millennia. However, MAOM-targeted management is insufficient because the formation pathways of persistent soil organic matter are diverse and vary with environmental conditions. Effective management must also consider particulate organic matter (POM). In many soils, there is potential for enlarging POM pools, POM can persist over long time scales, and POM can be a direct precursor of MAOM. We present a framework for context-dependent management strategies that recognizes soils as complex systems in which environmental conditions constrain POM and MAOM formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerrit Angst
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology & Biogeochemistry, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Kevin E Mueller
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | - Cordula Vogel
- Soil Resources and Land Use, Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin Wiesmeier
- Institute for Organic Farming, Soil and Resource Management, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Chair of Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Carsten W Mueller
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Wang J, Shi L, Liu J, Deng J, Zou J, Zhang X, Shen Z, Chen Y. Earthworm-mediated nitrification and gut digestive processes facilitate the remobilization of biochar-immobilized heavy metals. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 322:121219. [PMID: 36746291 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Earthworms and biochar tend to have opposite effects on heavy metal bioavailability in soil. However, the influence and controlling process of earthworms on the immobilisation effect of biochar remain poorly understood. Through the co-cultivation of earthworms with rice-husk biochar and sludge biochar in heavy metal-contaminated soil and desorption experiments involving simulated earthworm gut, we explored the factors that earthworms influence the heavy metal immobilisation ability of biochar. Our results showed that rice-husk biochar and sludge biochar effectively immobilized heavy metals in soil, whereas earthworm activity mobilised heavy metals in biochar-treated soil, which weakens the immobilisation of biochar. The soil pH reduction effect of earthworms by increasing the abundance of soil ammonia-oxidising bacteria to promote soil nitrification is an important mechanism through which earthworms mobilise heavy metals; however, this process did not occur within 10 days of incubation. Nitrification inhibitors effectively inhibit the mobilisation of heavy metals in soil by earthworms. In addition, the bioavailability of heavy metals in earthworm casts was significantly higher than those in the surrounding soil and earthworm-free soil. Moreover, simulated earthworm gut fluid promoted the re-release of heavy metals from the soil and biochar particles. These results suggest that the gut digestion of earthworms is another important mechanism by which earthworms mobilise soil heavy metals and weaken the immobilisation of biochar. Therefore, earthworms weakened the immobilisation effect of biochar mainly by promoting nitrification to reduce soil pH and through gut digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Liang Shi
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; National Joint Local Engineering Research Center for Rural Land Resources Use and Consolidation, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jiaqiang Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jia Deng
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jianwen Zou
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiaokai Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Zhenguo Shen
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; National Joint Local Engineering Research Center for Rural Land Resources Use and Consolidation, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yahua Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; National Joint Local Engineering Research Center for Rural Land Resources Use and Consolidation, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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9
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Klaminder J, Krab EJ, Larsbo M, Jonsson H, Fransson J, Koestel J. Holes in the tundra: Invasive earthworms alter soil structure and moisture in tundra soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160125. [PMID: 36379337 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Human introductions have resulted in earthworms establishing in the Arctic, species known to cause cascading ecosystem change. However, few quantitative outdoor experiments have been performed that describe how these soil modifying earthworms are reshaping structures in tundra soils. In this study, we used three-dimensional (3-D) X-ray images of soil cores (approximately 10 cm diameter, 20 cm height, N = 48) to assess how earthworms (Aporrectodea sp. and Lumbricus sp.) affect soil structure and macropore networks in an outdoor mesocosm experiment that lasted four summers. Effects were assessed in both shrub-dominated (heath) and herb-dominated (meadow) tundra. Earthworms almost doubled the macroporosity in meadow soils and tripled macroporosity in heath. Interestingly, the fractal dimension of macropores decreased in response to earthworm burrowing in both systems, indicating that the presence of earthworms reduced the geometric complexity in comparison to other pore-generating processes active in the tundra. Observed effects on soil structure occurred along with a dramatically reduced soil moisture content, which was observed the first winter after earthworm introduction in the meadow. Our findings suggest that predictions of future changes in vegetation and soil carbon pools in the Arctic should include major impacts on soil properties that earthworms induce.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Klaminder
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-98107 Abisko, Sweden.
| | - E J Krab
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-98107 Abisko, Sweden; Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lennart Hjelms väg 9, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Larsbo
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lennart Hjelms väg 9, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - H Jonsson
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-98107 Abisko, Sweden
| | - J Fransson
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-98107 Abisko, Sweden
| | - J Koestel
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lennart Hjelms väg 9, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; Soil quality and Soil Use, Agroscope, Reckenholzstr. 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland
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10
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Chu X, Bai N, Zheng X, Wang Q, Pan X, Li S, Zhang J, Zhang H, He W, Zhong F, Lv W, Zhang H. Effects of straw returning combined with earthworm addition on nitrification and ammonia oxidizers in paddy soil. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1069554. [PMID: 36590424 PMCID: PMC9800607 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1069554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Soil ammonia oxidation, which acts as the first and rate-limiting step of nitrification, is driven by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and complete ammonia oxidizer (comammox, amoA gene of clade-A and clade-B). Straw returning, widely used ecological technology in China, is an effective measure for promoting straw decomposition and soil nutrient cycling when combined with earthworm addition. However, the effects of straw returning combined with earthworm addition on soil ammonia oxidizers remain poorly understood. Methods A 2-year plot experiment was conducted with 5 treatments: no fertilizer (CK); regular fertilization (RT); straw returning (SR); earthworm addition (W); straw returning + earthworm addition (SRW). The AOA, AOB, comammox clade-A and clade-B community microbial diversities and structures were investigated by high-throughput sequencing. Results The results showed that (1) compared to RT treatment, W, SR, and SRW treatments all significantly increased the richness of AOA and comammox clade-A and clade-B (p < 0.05), and the richness of AOB was only significantly promoted by SRW treatment (p < 0.05). However, only SRW had a higher comammox clade-B diversity index than RT. (2) The ammonia oxidizer community structures were altered by both straw returning and earthworm addition. Soil NH4 +-N was the critical environmental driver for altering the ammonia oxidizer community structure. (3) Compared with RT treatment, the soil potential nitrification rate (PNR) of W and SRW treatments increased by 1.19 and 1.20 times, respectively. The PNR was significantly positively correlated with AOB abundance (path coefficient = 0.712, p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with clade-B abundance (path coefficient = -0.106, p < 0.05). Discussion This study provides scientific support for the application of straw returning combined with earthworm addition to improve soil nitrification with respect to soil ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangqian Chu
- Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Eco-environmental Protection Institute, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Naling Bai
- Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Eco-environmental Protection Institute, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Agricultural Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Ecosystem, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianqing Zheng
- Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Eco-environmental Protection Institute, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Agricultural Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Ecosystem, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Quanhua Wang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Pan
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuangxi Li
- Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Eco-environmental Protection Institute, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Agricultural Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Ecosystem, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Juanqin Zhang
- Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Eco-environmental Protection Institute, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Agricultural Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Ecosystem, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyun Zhang
- Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Eco-environmental Protection Institute, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Agricultural Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Ecosystem, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjie He
- Faculty of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Zhong
- Faculty of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Weiguang Lv
- Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Eco-environmental Protection Institute, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Agricultural Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Ecosystem, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanlin Zhang
- Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Eco-environmental Protection Institute, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Agricultural Environment and Farmland Conservation Experiment Station of Ministry Agriculture, Shanghai, China
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11
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Keen SC, Wackett AA, Willenbring JK, Yoo K, Jonsson H, Clow T, Klaminder J. Non-native species change the tune of tundra soils: Novel access to soundscapes of the Arctic earthworm invasion. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155976. [PMID: 35618134 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, an increasing number of studies have used soundscapes to address diverse ecological questions. Sound represents one of the few sources of information capable of providing in situ insights into processes occurring within opaque soil matrices. To date, the use of soundscapes for soil macrofauna monitoring has been experimentally tested only in controlled laboratory environments. Here we assess the validity of laboratory predictions and explore the use of soil soundscape proxies for monitoring soil macrofauna (i.e., earthworm) activities in an outdoor context. In a common garden experiment in northern Sweden, we constructed outdoor mesocosm plots (N = 36) containing two different Arctic vegetation types (meadow and heath) and introduced earthworms to half of these plots. Earthworms substantially altered the ambient soil soundscape under both vegetation types, as measured by both traditional soundscape indices and frequency band power levels, although their acoustic impacts were expressed differently in heath versus meadow soils. While these findings support the as-of-yet untapped promise of using belowground soundscape analyses to monitor soil ecosystem health, direct acoustic emissions from earthworm activities appear to be an unlikely proxy for tracking worm activities at daily timescales. Instead, earthworms indirectly altered the soil soundscape by 're-engineering' the soil matrix: an effect that was dependent on vegetation type. Our findings suggest that long-term (i.e., seasonal) earthworm activities in natural soil settings can likely be monitored indirectly via their impacts on soundscape measures and acoustic indices. Analyzing soil soundscapes may enable larger-scale monitoring of high-latitude soils and is directly applicable to the specific case of earthworm invasions within Arctic soils, which has recently been identified as a potential threat to the resilience of high-latitude ecosystems. Soil soundscapes could also offer a novel means to monitor soils and soil-plant-faunal interactions in situ across diverse pedogenic, agronomic, and ecological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara C Keen
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Adrian A Wackett
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jane K Willenbring
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kyungsoo Yoo
- Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, MN, USA
| | - Hanna Jonsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Travis Clow
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jonatan Klaminder
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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12
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Angst G, Frouz J, van Groenigen JW, Scheu S, Kögel‐Knabner I, Eisenhauer N. Earthworms as catalysts in the formation and stabilization of soil microbial necromass. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4775-4782. [PMID: 35543252 PMCID: PMC9544240 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial necromass is a central component of soil organic matter (SOM), whose management may be essential in mitigating atmospheric CO2 concentrations and climate change. Current consensus regards the magnitude of microbial necromass production to be heavily dependent on the carbon use efficiency of microorganisms, which is strongly influenced by the quality of the organic matter inputs these organisms feed on. However, recent concepts neglect agents relevant in many soils: earthworms. We argue that the activity of earthworms accelerates the formation of microbial necromass stabilized in aggregates and organo-mineral associations and reduces the relevance of the quality of pre-existing organic matter in this process. Earthworms achieve this through the creation of transient hotspots (casts) characterized by elevated contents of bioavailable substrate and the efficient build-up and quick turnover of microbial biomass, thus converting SOM not mineralized in this process into a state more resistant against external disturbances, such as climate change. Promoting the abundance of earthworms may, therefore, be considered a central component of management strategies that aim to accelerate the formation of stabilized microbial necromass in wide locations of the soil commonly not considered hotspots of microbial SOM formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerrit Angst
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of SciencesInstitute of Soil Biology & SoWa Research InfrastructureČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | - Jan Frouz
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of SciencesInstitute of Soil Biology & SoWa Research InfrastructureČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Environmental StudiesCharles University in PraguePrahaCzech Republic
| | | | - Stefan Scheu
- Johann‐Friedrich‐Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and AnthropologyUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Center of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land UseUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Ingrid Kögel‐Knabner
- TUM School of Life Sciences WeihenstephanTechnical University of MunichFreising‐WeihenstephanGermany
- Institute for Advanced StudyTechnical University of MunichGarchingGermany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
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13
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Nouri-Aiin M, Connolly S, Keough C, Smigelsky AJ, Wen Y, Howland J, Schall JJ, Görres JH. Genetic population structure and reproductive system of two invasive Asian earthworms, Amynthas tokioensis and Amynthas agrestis. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13622. [PMID: 35855901 PMCID: PMC9288164 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The invasive Asian earthworms, Amynthas tokioensis and A. agrestis, have been successful in entering North American forests in recent decades, with significant damage to both soils and above-ground environments. This success could be driven in part by a polyploid genetic system and parthenogenetic reproduction, often suggested as benefits for invasive species. Therefore, we assessed the genetic population structure, genetic diversity, and reproductive system of both species using morphological traits and panels of microsatellite markers. A total of 216 A. tokioensis and 196 A. agrestis from six sites in Vermont USA were analyzed. Although all worms were morphologically hermaphroditic, all the A. agrestis lacked the male pore (the structure allowing pass of sperm between individuals), and only 19% of the A. tokioensis possessed the male pore. All A. tokioensis earthworms were triploid (scored for three alleles for at least 1 locus, and usually several), and A. agrestis was a mix of triploid and diploid individuals. Notable was the high proportion (80%) of A. agrestis earthworms that were diploid at one site. There was clearly clonal reproduction, with identical seven- locus genotypes observed for earthworms from each site, with as many as 45 individuals with the identical genotype at one site. However, the earthworms were also genetically diverse, with 14 genotypes observed for A. tokioensis and 54 for A. agrestis, and with many singleton genotypes (a single individual). Most genotypes (71% for A. tokioensis and 92% for A. agrestis) were found at a single site. The greatest number of genotypes was found at a commercial nursery where fully 23/26 A. agrestis earthworms were singleton genotypes. As expected for the pattern of private clone alleles at sites, several measures of geographic genetic differentiation were positive, and as expected for triploid systems, an AMOVA analysis showed high within-individual genetic diversity. The paradox of clear clonal reproduction, but with a great number of genotypes for each species, and the mix of triploid and diploid individuals could be explained if the worms have been sexually reproductive, with the switch to the uniparental system only recently (or even if sexual reproduction is episodic). Last, a large number of microsatellite loci were recovered for each species and there sequence and suggested PCR primers are provided for free use by other researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Nouri-Aiin
- Plant and Soil Science Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Samantha Connolly
- Plant Biology Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Cheryl Keough
- Plant and Soil Science Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Annie Jean Smigelsky
- Plant and Soil Science Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Yiyi Wen
- Environmental Science, Rubinstein School of the Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Howland
- Plant and Soil Science Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Jos. J. Schall
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Josef H. Görres
- Plant and Soil Science Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
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14
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Chao H, Sun M, Wu Y, Xia R, Yuan S, Hu F. Quantitative relationship between earthworms' sensitivity to organic pollutants and the contaminants' degradation in soil: A meta-analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 429:128286. [PMID: 35086042 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Using earthworms to remove soil organic pollutants is a common bioremediation method. However, it remains challenging to evaluate and predict their effect on removing soil organic pollutants based on earthworm toxicology and pollutant degradation rates. Peer-reviewed journal articles on ecotoxicology and bioremediation from the years 1974-2020 (cutoff date September 2020) were selected for meta-analysis to quantify the effect size of earthworms on organic pollutant degradation. The meta-analysis shows that the average effect size of earthworms on organic pollutant degradation is 128.5% (p < 0.05). Soils with high soil organic matter or clay textures are more conducive to earthworm-mediated removal of organic pollutants. Structural equation modeling reveals that earthworms' sensitivity to contaminant exposure may be a greater limiting factor on pollutant degradation than environmental factors. In addition, the quantitative relationship existed between LC50 and the pollutants' degradation that an elevated LC50 threshold resulted in at least 1.5 times increase in the pollutants' degradation size. This correlation was dually confirmed via meta-analysis and the validation trial. The results of this study contribute to a more profound understanding of the potential to use earthworms to mitigate organic pollution in soils and develop earthworm-based soil remediation techniques on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhen Chao
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Mingming Sun
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Jiangsu Collaborative Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Yunling Wu
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Rong Xia
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shujian Yuan
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Feng Hu
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Jiangsu Collaborative Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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15
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Alexander G, Almendinger J, White P. The long-term effects of invasive earthworms on plant community composition and diversity in a hardwood forest in northern Minnesota. PLANT-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2022; 3:89-102. [PMID: 37284009 PMCID: PMC10168095 DOI: 10.1002/pei3.10075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Nonnative European earthworms are invading hardwood forests of the Chippewa National Forest, MN. While effects on plant communities at the leading edge of invasion have been studied, little is known about longer-term effects of invasive earthworms. We applied a model using historic O-horizon soil thickness and a chronosequence approach to classify 41 hardwood sites in the Chippewa National Forest as "long-term wormed" (wormed >2 decades), "short-term wormed" or "unwormed/lightly wormed." Graminoids, especially Carex pensylvanica, had the greatest mean percent cover in sites that had been wormed for over two decades. The families with the greatest negative change in mean percent cover after over two decades of earthworm invasion were Asteraceae, Violaceae, and Sapindaceae (specifically Acer species). Across all diversity metrics measured, long-term wormed sites had the lowest understory plant species diversity, short-term wormed sites had intermediate diversity, and unwormed/lightly wormed sites exhibited the highest diversity. Long-term wormed sites had the lowest mean species richness across all sample scales (1-1024 m2). The greatest within-group compositional dissimilarity occurred at sites that had been wormed for over two decades, suggesting that sites that had been wormed for over two decades have not reached a compositionally similar end-state "wormed" community type. Our study suggests that understory diversity will decrease as hardwood forest stands become wormed over time. While our results support other findings that exotic earthworm invasion is associated with lower understory plant diversity in hardwood forests, our study was the first to use space-for-time substitution to document the effects after multiple decades of earthworm invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve Alexander
- Curriculum for the Environment and EcologyUniversity of North Carolina – Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - John Almendinger
- Division of ForestryMinnesota Department of Natural ResourcesGrand RapidsMinnesotaUSA
| | - Peter White
- Department of BiologyUniversity of North Carolina – Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
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16
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Jochum M, Thouvenot L, Ferlian O, Zeiss R, Klarner B, Pruschitzki U, Johnson EA, Eisenhauer N. Aboveground impacts of a belowground invader: how invasive earthworms alter aboveground arthropod communities in a northern North American forest. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20210636. [PMID: 35350876 PMCID: PMC8965420 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Declining arthropod communities have recently gained a lot of attention, with climate and land-use change among the most frequently discussed drivers. Here, we focus on a seemingly underrepresented driver of arthropod community decline: biological invasions. For approximately 12 000 years, earthworms have been absent from wide parts of northern North America, but they have been re-introduced with dramatic consequences. Most studies investigating earthworm-invasion impacts focus on the belowground world, resulting in limited knowledge on aboveground-community changes. We present observational data on earthworm, plant and aboveground arthropod communities in 60 plots, distributed across areas with increasing invasion status (low, medium and high) in a Canadian forest. We analysed how earthworm-invasion status and biomass impact aboveground arthropod community abundance, biomass and species richness, and how earthworm impacts cascade across trophic levels. We sampled approximately 13 000 arthropods, dominated by Hemiptera, Diptera, Araneae, Thysanoptera and Hymenoptera. Total arthropod abundance, biomass and species richness declined significantly from areas of low to those with high invasion status, with reductions of 61, 27 and 18%, respectively. Structural equation models suggest that earthworms directly and indirectly impact arthropods across trophic levels. We show that earthworm invasion can alter aboveground multi-trophic arthropod communities and suggest that belowground invasions might be underappreciated drivers of aboveground arthropod decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malte Jochum
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lise Thouvenot
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Romy Zeiss
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bernhard Klarner
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspuele 2, Goettingen 37073, Germany
| | - Ulrich Pruschitzki
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Edward A Johnson
- Department Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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17
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Dumack K, Ferlian O, Morselli Gysi D, Degrune F, Jauss RT, Walden S, Öztoprak H, Wubet T, Bonkowski M, Eisenhauer N. Contrasting protist communities (Cercozoa: Rhizaria) in pristine and earthworm-invaded North American deciduous forests. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-021-02726-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractEarthworms are considered ecosystem engineers due to their fundamental impact on soil structure, soil processes and on other soil biota. An invasion of non-native earthworm species has altered soils of North America since European settlement, a process currently expanding into still earthworm-free forest ecosystems due to continuous spread and increasing soil temperatures owing to climate change. Although earthworms are known to modify soil microbial diversity and activity, it is as yet unclear how eukaryote consumers in soil microbial food webs will be affected. Here, we investigated how earthworm invasion affects the diversity of Cercozoa, one of the most dominant protist taxa in soils. Although the composition of the native cercozoan community clearly shifted in response to earthworm invasion, the communities of the different forests showed distinct responses. We identified 39 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) exclusively indicating earthworm invasion, hinting at an earthworm-associated community of Cercozoa. In particular, Woronina pythii, a hyper-parasite of plant-parasitic Oomycota in American forests, increased strongly in the presence of invasive earthworms, indicating an influence of invasive earthworms on oomycete communities and potentially on forest health, which requires further research.
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18
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Babiy KA, Yu. Kniazev S, Golovanova EV, Solomatin DV, Bel'skaya LV. What Determines Ion Content of Lumbricid Casts: Soil Type, Species, or Ecological Group? POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2021.69.2.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirill A. Babiy
- Research Laboratory of Systematics and Ecology of Invertebrates, Omsk State Pedagogical University, nab. Tukhachevskogo, 14, Omsk 644099, Russia
| | - Stanislav Yu. Kniazev
- Research Laboratory of Systematics and Ecology of Invertebrates, Omsk State Pedagogical University, nab. Tukhachevskogo, 14, Omsk 644099, Russia
| | - Elena V. Golovanova
- Research Laboratory of Systematics and Ecology of Invertebrates, Omsk State Pedagogical University, nab. Tukhachevskogo, 14, Omsk 644099, Russia
| | - Denis V. Solomatin
- Department of Mathematics and Mathematics Teaching Methods, Omsk State Pedagogical University, nab. Tukhachevskogo, 14, Omsk 644099, Russia
| | - Lyudmila V. Bel'skaya
- Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Omsk State Pedagogical University, nab. Tukhachevskogo, 14, Omsk 644099, Russia
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19
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Fu L, Zhang L, Dong P, Wang J, Shi L, Lian C, Shen Z, Chen Y. Remediation of copper-contaminated soils using Tagetes patula L., earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 2021; 24:1107-1119. [PMID: 34775850 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2021.2002809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and earthworms have potential uses in the bioremediation of contaminated soils. In recent years, heavy metal-contaminated sites have been remediated by adding plants and AMF or earthworms to the soil. However, there are few studies on remediation using combinations of plants, animals, and microbes, especially for the remediation of Cu-contaminated soil. The present study investigated the separate and combined effects of AMF and earthworms on Cu-contaminated soil in which Tagetes patula L. was grown. The results show that the combined application of AMF and earthworms markedly increased the biomass of plant shoots and roots by more than 100%. It also increased Cu extraction by T. patula by 270%. The combined treatment was effective in increasing the CEC, contents of OM, and available Cu, P and K, but reduced the soil pH. Furthermore, the combined treatment significantly increased the abundance and diversity of the soil microbial community. In particular, the abundances of the bacteria Bacteroides, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were increased, with the genera Flavobacterium, Pedobacter, Algoriphagus, Gaetbulibacter, Pseudomonas, Luteimonas, and Arthrobacter dominating. Meanwhile, the abundance of the fungus Zygomycota was increased, with Mortierella dominating. Moreover, inoculation with earthworms greatly improved the structure of the soil microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Fu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing Institute for Comprehensive Utilization of Wild Plants, Nanjing, China
| | - Long Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pengcheng Dong
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liang Shi
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chunlan Lian
- Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Zhenguo Shen
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yahua Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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20
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Chang CH, Bartz MLC, Brown G, Callaham MA, Cameron EK, Dávalos A, Dobson A, Görres JH, Herrick BM, Ikeda H, James SW, Johnston MR, McCay TS, McHugh D, Minamiya Y, Nouri-Aiin M, Novo M, Ortiz-Pachar J, Pinder RA, Ransom T, Richardson JB, Snyder BA, Szlavecz K. The second wave of earthworm invasions in North America: biology, environmental impacts, management and control of invasive jumping worms. Biol Invasions 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-021-02598-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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21
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Potapov A, Schaefer I, Jochum M, Widyastuti R, Eisenhauer N, Scheu S. Oil palm and rubber expansion facilitates earthworm invasion in Indonesia. Biol Invasions 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-021-02539-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AbstractDeforestation, plantation expansion and other human activities in tropical ecosystems are often associated with biological invasions. These processes have been studied for above-ground organisms, but associated changes below the ground have received little attention. We surveyed rainforest and plantation systems in Jambi province, Sumatra, Indonesia, to investigate effects of land-use change on the diversity and abundance of earthworms—a major group of soil-ecosystem engineers that often is associated with human activities. Density and biomass of earthworms increased 4—30-fold in oil palm and rubber monoculture plantations compared to rainforest. Despite much higher abundance, earthworm communities in plantations were less diverse and dominated by the peregrine morphospecies Pontoscolex corethrurus, often recorded as invasive. Considering the high deforestation rate in Indonesia, invasive earthworms are expected to dominate soil communities across the region in the near future, in lieu of native soil biodiversity. Ecologically-friendly management approaches, increasing structural habitat complexity and plant diversity, may foster beneficial effects of invasive earthworms on plant growth while mitigating negative effects on below-ground biodiversity and the functioning of the native soil animal community.
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22
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Thouvenot L, Ferlian O, Beugnon R, Künne T, Lochner A, Thakur MP, Türke M, Eisenhauer N. Do Invasive Earthworms Affect the Functional Traits of Native Plants? FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:627573. [PMID: 33796124 PMCID: PMC8007962 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.627573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
As ecosystem engineers, invasive earthworms are one of the main drivers of plant community changes in North American forests previously devoid of earthworms. One explanation for these community changes is the effects of earthworms on the reproduction, recruitment, and development of plant species. However, few studies have investigated functional trait responses of native plants to earthworm invasion to explain the mechanisms underlying community changes. In a mesocosm (Ecotron) experiment, we set up a plant community composed of two herb and two grass species commonly found in northern North American forests under two earthworm treatments (presence vs. absence). We measured earthworm effects on above- and belowground plant biomass and functional traits after 3 months of experiment. Our results showed that earthworm presence did not significantly affect plant community biomass and cover. Furthermore, only four out of the fifteen above- and belowground traits measured were affected by earthworm presence. While some traits, such as the production of ramets, the carbon and nitrogen content of leaves, responded similarly between and within functional groups in the presence or absence of earthworms, we observed opposite responses for other traits, such as height, specific leaf area, and root length within some functional groups in the presence of earthworms. Plant trait responses were thus species-specific, although the two grass species showed a more pronounced response to earthworm presence with changes in their leaf traits than herb species. Overall, earthworms affected some functional traits related to resource uptake abilities of plants and thus could change plant competition outcomes over time, which could be an explanation of plant community changes observed in invaded ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Thouvenot
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rémy Beugnon
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tom Künne
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alfred Lochner
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Madhav P Thakur
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Terrestrial Ecology Group, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Manfred Türke
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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23
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Jochum M, Ferlian O, Thakur MP, Ciobanu M, Klarner B, Salamon J, Frelich LE, Johnson EA, Eisenhauer N. Earthworm invasion causes declines across soil fauna size classes and biodiversity facets in northern North American forests. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Malte Jochum
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Leipzig Univ., Inst. of Biology Leipzig Germany
| | - Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Leipzig Univ., Inst. of Biology Leipzig Germany
| | - Madhav P. Thakur
- Inst. of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Univ. of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Marcel Ciobanu
- Inst. of Biological Research, Branch of the National Inst. of Research and Development for Biological Sciences Cluj‐Napoca Romania
| | - Bernhard Klarner
- J.F. Blumenbach Inst. of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, Univ. of Goettingen Goettingen Germany
| | - Jörg‐Alfred Salamon
- Inst. of Ecology and Evolution & Field Station Schapen, Univ. of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Hannover Germany
| | - Lee E. Frelich
- Center for Forest Ecology, Dept of Forest Resources, Univ. of Minnesota St. Paul MN USA
| | | | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Leipzig Univ., Inst. of Biology Leipzig Germany
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Thakur MP, Künne T, Unsicker SB, Biere A, Ferlian O, Pruschitzki U, Thouvenot L, Türke M, Eisenhauer N. Invasive earthworms reduce chemical defense and increase herbivory and pathogen infection in native trees. THE JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2021; 109:763-775. [PMID: 33664527 PMCID: PMC7891629 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Recent research shows that earthworms can alter defense traits of plants against herbivores and pathogens by affecting soil biochemistry. Yet, the effects of invasive earthworms on defense traits of native plants from previously earthworm-free ecosystems as well as the consequences for multitrophic interactions are virtually unknown.Here we use a combination of an observational study and a complementary experimental study to investigate the effects of invasive earthworms on leaf defense traits, herbivore damage and pathogen infection in two poplar tree species (Populus balsamifera and Populus tremuloides) native to North American boreal forests.Our observational study showed that earthworm invasion was associated with enhanced leaf herbivory (by leaf-chewing insects) in saplings of both tree species. However, we only detected significant shifts in the concentration of chemical defense compounds in response to earthworm invasion for P. balsamifera. Specifically, leaf phenolic concentrations, including salicinoids and catechin, were lower in P. balsamifera from earthworm-invaded sites.Our experimental study confirmed an earthworm-induced reduction in leaf defense levels in P. balsamifera for one of the defense compounds, tremulacin. The experimental study additionally showed that invasive earthworms reduced leaf dry matter content, potentially increasing leaf palatability, and enhanced susceptibility of trees to infection by a fungal pathogen, but not to aphid infestation, in the same tree species. Synthesis. Our results show that invasive earthworms can decrease the concentrations of some chemical defense compounds in P. balsamifera, which could make them susceptible to leaf-chewing insects. Such potential impacts of invasive earthworms are likely to have implications for tree survival and competition, native tree biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhav P. Thakur
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
- Terrestrial Ecology GroupInstitute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Tom Künne
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Sybille B. Unsicker
- Department of BiochemistryMax Planck Institute for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | - Arjen Biere
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Ulrich Pruschitzki
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Lise Thouvenot
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Manfred Türke
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
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25
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Peach ME, Hicks Pries CE, Friedland AJ. Plants and earthworms control soil carbon and water quality trade-offs in turfgrass mesocosms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 753:141884. [PMID: 33207442 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how plants and earthworms regulate soil-based ecosystem services can guide design and management of built environments to improve environmental quality. We tested whether plant and earthworm activity results in trade-offs between soil carbon (C) retention and water quality. In a 2 × 2 factorial random block design, we introduced shrubs (Aronia melanocarpa) and earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) to turfgrass (Lolium perenne) sandy loam mesocosms in a greenhouse. We measured soil respiration and soil microclimate every two weeks and leachate every two months. After 15 months, we assessed C and nitrogen (N) in bulk soil and aggregates (> 2000, 2000-250, 250-53 μm). Turfgrass mesocosms with earthworms retained less soil C (6.10 ± 0.20 kg/m2), especially when warmer. Soils planted with shrubs were drier and had 7% lower mean respiration rates than soils without shrubs. Turfgrass mesocosms with both shrubs and earthworms retained more soil C (6.66 ± 0.25 kg/m2), even when warmer, and held ~1.5 times more C in >2 mm aggregates than turfgrass-only mesocosms. Turfgrass mesocosms with shrubs and earthworms leached nitrate-N with increased respiration and retained phosphate-P and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) when wetter. In contrast, turfgrass mesocosms with only shrubs had the opposite response by leaching less nitrate-N with increased respiration, and more phosphate-P and DOC when wetter. Overall, shrub and earthworm activity in turfgrass mesocosms led to soil C-nutrient retention trade-offs. Our results reveal potential challenges in managing built environments to both retain soil C and improve water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E Peach
- Ecology, Evolution, Environment, and Society Program, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; Environmental Studies Program, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| | - Caitlin E Hicks Pries
- Ecology, Evolution, Environment, and Society Program, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| | - Andrew J Friedland
- Environmental Studies Program, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
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26
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Abstract
Non-native earthworms can cause abrupt changes in forest ecosystems by altering soil properties and depleting or redistributing soil carbon (C) stocks. The forests of Northern Maine are often perceived as having winters that are too harsh to support earthworm populations and that earthworms are restricted to more southerly regions. In this study, we report the discovery of European earthworms at two research sites in Northern Maine. At one site, earthworms were only found across a portion of the forest, and the median organic (O) horizon C stock in the area with earthworms was 34% less than that of areas without earthworms. At a second site, earthworms were found across the entire 60-ha forest and the median O horizon C stock was 39% less than that of a similar forest without earthworms. Consistent with reports from other regions, areas with earthworms had no or minimal eluvial (E) horizons, while earthworm-free locations always had E horizons. Earthworm presence was always associated with a topsoil (A) horizon, reflecting mechanical mixing and organic matter processing by earthworms. This is one of the first reports of non-native earthworm presence in Northern Maine forests and monitoring changes in soil C will be important for determining rates of C sequestration in these forests. Warmer winter temperatures, particularly winter minimums, and greater annual precipitation will likely increase the success of new earthworm introductions across Northern Maine forests. Management actions that limit the transport of earthworms into earthworm-free areas should be carefully evaluated to minimize the potential for new introductions.
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27
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Des Marteaux LE, Kullik SA, Habash M, Schmidt JM. Terrestrial Isopods Porcellio scaber and Oniscus asellus (Crustacea: Isopoda) Increase Bacterial Abundance and Modify Microbial Community Structure in Leaf Litter Microcosms: a Short-Term Decomposition Study. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2020; 80:690-702. [PMID: 32440700 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01527-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Invasive terrestrial isopods are likely to have altered leaf litter decomposition processes in North American forests, but the mechanisms underlying these alterations and the degree to which they differ among isopod species are poorly characterized. Using mixed-deciduous leaf litter microcosms, we quantified the effects of two common, invasive isopods (Oniscus asellus and Porcellio scaber) on short-term leaf litter decomposition and microbial community structure and function. Microcosms containing ground litter and a microbial inoculant were exposed to one of the two isopod species or no isopods for 21 days. Mass loss was then quantified as the change in litter dry mass after leaching, and microbial respiration was quantified as the mass of CO2 absorbed by soda lime. Litter leachates were plated on agar to quantify culturable bacterial and fungal abundance, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of amplified leachate microbial DNA was used to characterize shifts in microbial community structure. Isopod presence increased litter mass loss by a modest ~ 6%, but did not affect litter microbial respiration. Bacterial abundance increased significantly in the presence of isopods, while fungal abundance was either unchanged or reduced. Overall litter microbial species richness was reduced by isopods, with O. asellus specifically reducing fungal abundance and diversity. Isopods modified the microbial community structure by suppressing four bacterial and one fungal species, while promoting growth of four other bacterial species (two unique to each isopod species) and two fungal species (one which was unique to O. asellus).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Des Marteaux
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Sigrun A Kullik
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Marc Habash
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan M Schmidt
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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28
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Do invasive jumping worms impact sugar maple (Acer saccharum) water-use dynamics in a Central Hardwoods forest? Biol Invasions 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02360-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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