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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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2
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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: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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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3
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Do the Invasive Earthworms Amynthas agrestis (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) and Lumbricus rubellus (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) Stimulate Oxalate-Based Browser Defenses in Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) by Their Presence or Their Soil Biogeochemical Activity? SOIL SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/soilsystems6010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of invasive earthworms initiates physical and chemical alterations in previously earthworm-free forest soils, which triggers an ecological cascade. The most apparent step is the shift in the herbaceous plant community composition. However, some species, such as Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit), persist where earthworms are present. It has been hypothesized that A. triphyllum produces insoluble oxalate, an herbivory deterrent, in the presence of earthworms. This study aimed to distinguish between the effects of earthworm-induced changes in soils and the physical presence of earthworms on oxalate production. As such, a two-way factorial greenhouse trial was conducted using uninvaded soils to test this hypothesis for two invasive earthworm species (Amynthas agrestis and Lumbricus rubellus). The sequential extraction of oxalates in A. triphyllum corms was performed with absolute ethanol, deionized water, acetic acid and HCl, representing fractions of decreasing solubility. Earthworm presence increased water-soluble (p = 0.002) and total oxalate (p = 0.022) significantly, but only marginally significantly for HCl-soluble oxalate (p = 0.065). The corms of plants grown in soils previously exposed to the two species did not differ in oxalate production when earthworms were not present. However, the data suggest that earthworms affect corm oxalate concentrations and that the sequence of invasion matters for oxalate production by A. triphyllum.
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4
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Rodgers VL, Scanga SE, Kolozsvary MB, Garneau DE, Kilgore JS, Anderson LJ, Hopfensperger KN, Aguilera AG, Urban RA, Juneau KJ. OUP accepted manuscript. Bioscience 2022; 72:521-537. [PMID: 35677290 PMCID: PMC9169898 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biac012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The invasive plant Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) has spread throughout forest understory and edge communities in much of North America, but its persistence, density, and impacts have varied across sites and time. Surveying the literature since 2008, we evaluated both previously proposed and new mechanisms for garlic mustard's invasion success and note how they interact and vary across ecological contexts. We analyzed how and where garlic mustard has been studied and found a lack of multisite and longitudinal studies, as well as regions that may be under- or overstudied, leading to poor representation for understanding and predicting future invasion dynamics. Inconsistencies in how sampling units are scaled and defined can also hamper our understanding of invasive species. We present new conceptual models for garlic mustard invasion from a macrosystems perspective, emphasizing the importance of synergies and feedbacks among mechanisms across spatial and temporal scales to produce variable ecological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Danielle E Garneau
- State University of New York Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, New York, United States
| | - Jason S Kilgore
- Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, Pennsylvania, United States
| | | | | | | | - Rebecca A Urban
- Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Kevyn J Juneau
- University of Wisconsin–River Falls, River Falls, Wisconsin, United States
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5
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Lamb N, Havens K, Holloway J, Steffen JF, Zeldin J, Kramer AT. Low passive restoration potential following invasive woody species removal in oak woodlands. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Lamb
- Chicago Botanic Garden Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action Glencoe IL 60022 U.S.A
- Program in Plant Biology and Conservation Northwestern University 2205 Tech Drive Evanston IL 60208 U.S.A
| | - Kayri Havens
- Chicago Botanic Garden Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action Glencoe IL 60022 U.S.A
- Program in Plant Biology and Conservation Northwestern University 2205 Tech Drive Evanston IL 60208 U.S.A
| | - Jalen Holloway
- Chicago Botanic Garden Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action Glencoe IL 60022 U.S.A
| | - James F. Steffen
- Chicago Botanic Garden Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action Glencoe IL 60022 U.S.A
| | - Jacob Zeldin
- Chicago Botanic Garden Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action Glencoe IL 60022 U.S.A
| | - Andrea T. Kramer
- Chicago Botanic Garden Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action Glencoe IL 60022 U.S.A
- Program in Plant Biology and Conservation Northwestern University 2205 Tech Drive Evanston IL 60208 U.S.A
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6
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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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7
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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: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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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8
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Wellnitz T, Barlow JL, Dick CM, Shaurette TR, Johnson BM, Wesley T, Weiher E. Campsites, forest fires, and entry point distance affect earthworm abundance in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8656. [PMID: 32140309 PMCID: PMC7047863 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8656] [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: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Factors controlling the spread of invasive earthworms in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are poorly known. Believed to have been introduced by anglers who use them as bait, invasive earthworms can alter the physical and chemical properties of soil and modify forest plant communities. To examine factors influencing earthworm distribution and abundance, we sampled 38 islands across five lakes to assess the effects of campsites, fire and entry point distance on earthworm density, biomass and species richness. We hypothesized that all three parameters would be greater on islands with campsites, lower on burned islands and would decrease with distance from the wilderness entry point. In addition to sampling earthworms, we collected soil cores to examine soil organic matter and recorded ground and vegetation cover. Campsite presence was the single most important factor affecting sampled earthworm communities; density, biomass and species richness were all higher on islands having campsites. Fire was associated with reduced earthworm density, but had no direct effects on earthworm biomass or species richness. Fire influenced earthworm biomass primarily through its negative relationship to groundcover and through an interaction with entry point distance. Entry point distance itself affected earthworm density and biomass. For islands with campsites, earthworm biomass increased with distance from the entry point.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd Wellnitz
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA
| | - Jenna L Barlow
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA
| | - Cory M Dick
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA
| | | | - Brian M Johnson
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA
| | - Troy Wesley
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA
| | - Evan Weiher
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA
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9
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Bowe A, Dobson A, Blossey B. Impacts of invasive earthworms and deer on native ferns in forests of northeastern North America. Biol Invasions 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02195-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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10
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Dobson A, Richardson J, Blossey B. Effects of earthworms and white-tailed deer on roots, arbuscular mycorrhizae, and forest seedling performance. Ecology 2019; 101:e02903. [PMID: 31563154 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Changes in understory plant composition and biodiversity declines in northeastern North American forests are widespread. Preserving species and ecosystem function requires appropriate identification and management of important stressors. Coexistence of stressors, among them earthworm invasions and white-tailed deer, makes correct identification of mechanisms that cause diversity declines challenging. We used an established factorial experiment to assess survival and growth of native seedlings (Actaea pachypoda, Aquilegia canadensis, Cornus racemosa, Quercus rubra, and Prenanthes alba) in response to presence/absence of deer and earthworms. We expected deer and earthworms to reduce seedling survival and biomass, and we evaluated potential pathways to explain this impact (soil N and P concentrations and pools, root architecture, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi [AMF] colonization). We developed structural equation models (SEM) to identify specific pathways through which earthworms and deer were impacting plant species with different life histories. Seedling survival was not affected by our treatments nor the plant and soil variables we tested. Actaea biomass was smaller in earthworm-invaded plots, and with larger total N pools. In contrast, both deer and earthworm treatments were associated with lower soil nutrient concentrations, and earthworm-invaded plots had smaller N and extractable P pools. Actaea, Cornus, Prenanthes, and Quercus seedlings had a lower proportion of fine roots in earthworm-invaded plots, while fine roots in Aquilegia made up a higher proportion of the root system. AMF colonization in Quercus was reduced in sites colonized by earthworms, but AMF in other species were unaffected. Our SEMs showed high correlation among soil variables, but because we do not know which variables are drivers of this change and which are passengers, we can only conclude that they are changing together as deer and earthworms exert their respective influence. Different plant species responded in idiosyncratic ways to earthworm and deer effects on soil fertility, root architecture and limited effects on AMF colonization. While earthworm and deer-mediated changes to fine roots, soil nutrients, and AMF may lead to changes in plant performance over time, these changes rarely translated to lower plant performance in our seedlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annise Dobson
- Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA.,Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Science, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
| | - Justin Richardson
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA.,Department of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst Center, Massachusetts, 01003, USA
| | - Bernd Blossey
- Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
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11
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Predictors and consequences of earthworm invasion in a coastal archipelago. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-01942-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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12
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Melampy MN, Mansbach SN, Durkin GK. Assessing the Impact of Lumbricid Earthworms on Forest Seeds in Northeastern Ohio. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-181.1.92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael N. Melampy
- Department of Biology and Geology, Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, Ohio 44017
| | - Sara N. Mansbach
- Department of Biology and Geology, Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, Ohio 44017
| | - Gage K. Durkin
- Department of Biology and Geology, Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, Ohio 44017
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13
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Stinson KA, Frey SD, Jackson MR, Coates-Connor E, Anthony M, Martinez K. Responses of non-native earthworms to experimental eradication of garlic mustard and implications for native vegetation. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- K. A. Stinson
- Department of Environmental Conservation; University of Massachusetts; 160 Holdsworth Way Amherst Massachusetts 01002 USA
| | - S. D. Frey
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment; University of New Hampshire; 56 College Road Durham New Hampshire 03824 USA
| | - M. R. Jackson
- Department of Environmental Conservation; University of Massachusetts; 160 Holdsworth Way Amherst Massachusetts 01002 USA
| | - E. Coates-Connor
- Department of Environmental Conservation; University of Massachusetts; 160 Holdsworth Way Amherst Massachusetts 01002 USA
| | - M. Anthony
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment; University of New Hampshire; 56 College Road Durham New Hampshire 03824 USA
| | - K. Martinez
- Department of Biology; California State University Dominguez Hills; NSM A-143 1000 East Victoria Street Carson California 90747 USA
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14
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Averill KM, Mortensen DA, Smithwick EAH, Kalisz S, McShea WJ, Bourg NA, Parker JD, Royo AA, Abrams MD, Apsley DK, Blossey B, Boucher DH, Caraher KL, DiTommaso A, Johnson SE, Masson R, Nuzzo VA. A regional assessment of white-tailed deer effects on plant invasion. AOB PLANTS 2018; 10:plx047. [PMID: 29340133 PMCID: PMC5761582 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plx047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Herbivores can profoundly influence plant species assembly, including plant invasion, and resulting community composition. Population increases of native herbivores, e.g. white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), combined with burgeoning plant invasions raise concerns for native plant diversity and forest regeneration. While individual researchers typically test for the impact of deer on plant invasion at a few sites, the overarching influence of deer on plant invasion across regional scales is unclear. We tested the effects of deer on the abundance and diversity of introduced and native herbaceous and woody plants across 23 white-tailed deer research sites distributed across the east-central and north-eastern USA and representing a wide range of deer densities and invasive plant abundance and identity. Deer access/exclusion or deer population density did not affect introduced plant richness or community-level abundance. Native and total plant species richness, abundance (cover and stem density) and Shannon diversity were lower in deer-access vs. deer-exclusion plots. Among deer-access plots, native species richness, native and total cover, and Shannon diversity (cover) declined as deer density increased. Deer access increased the proportion of introduced species cover (but not of species richness or stem density). As deer density increased, the proportion of introduced species richness, cover and stem density all increased. Because absolute abundance of introduced plants was unaffected by deer, the increase in proportion of introduced plant abundance is likely an indirect effect of deer reducing native cover. Indicator species analysis revealed that deer access favoured three introduced plant species, including Alliaria petiolata and Microstegium vimineum, as well as four native plant species. In contrast, deer exclusion favoured three introduced plant species, including Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora, and 15 native plant species. Overall, native deer reduced community diversity, lowering native plant richness and abundance, and benefited certain invasive plants, suggesting pervasive impacts of this keystone herbivore on plant community composition and ecosystem services in native forests across broad swathes of the eastern USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine M Averill
- Ecology Intercollege Graduate Degree Program, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Plant Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - David A Mortensen
- Ecology Intercollege Graduate Degree Program, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Plant Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Erica A H Smithwick
- Ecology Intercollege Graduate Degree Program, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Susan Kalisz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - William J McShea
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Norman A Bourg
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - John D Parker
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
| | - Alejandro A Royo
- United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Irvine, PA, USA
| | - Marc D Abrams
- Ecology Intercollege Graduate Degree Program, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - David K Apsley
- Department of Extension, The Ohio State University, Jackson, OH, USA
| | - Bernd Blossey
- Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Kai L Caraher
- Department of Biology, Hood College, Frederick, MD, USA
| | | | - Sarah E Johnson
- Ecology Intercollege Graduate Degree Program, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Robert Masson
- National Park Service, Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown, NJ, USA
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15
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Flinn KM. Invasive Earthworms Ingest and Digest Garlic Mustard Seeds at Rates Equal to Native Seeds. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2017. [DOI: 10.1656/045.024.0403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M. Flinn
- Biology Department, Baldwin Wallace University, 275 Eastland Road, Berea, OH 44017
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16
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Nuzzo V, Dávalos A, Blossey B. Assessing plant community composition fails to capture impacts of white-tailed deer on native and invasive plant species. AOB PLANTS 2017; 9:plx026. [PMID: 28775829 PMCID: PMC5534022 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plx026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Excessive herbivory can have transformative effects on forest understory vegetation, converting diverse communities into depauperate ones, often with increased abundance of non-native plants. White-tailed deer are a problematic herbivore throughout much of eastern North America and alter forest understory community structure. Reducing (by culling) or eliminating (by fencing) deer herbivory is expected to return understory vegetation to a previously diverse condition. We examined this assumption from 1992 to 2006 at Fermilab (Batavia, IL) where a cull reduced white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) abundance in 1998/1999 by 90 % from 24.6 to 2.5/km2, and at West Point, NY, where we assessed interactive effects of deer, earthworms, and invasive plants using 30 × 30 m paired fenced and open plots in 12 different forests from 2009 to 2012. We recorded not only plant community responses (species presence and cover) within 1 m2 quadrats, but also responses of select individual species (growth, reproduction). At Fermilab, introduced Alliaria petiolata abundance initially increased as deer density increased, but then declined after deer reduction. The understory community responded to the deer cull by increased cover, species richness and height, and community composition changed but was dominated by early successional native forbs. At West Point plant community composition was affected by introduced earthworm density but not deer exclusion. Native plant cover increased and non-native plant cover decreased in fenced plots, thus keeping overall plant cover similar. At both sites native forb cover increased in response to deer reduction, but the anticipated response of understory vegetation failed to materialize at the community level. Deer-favoured forbs (Eurybia divaricata, Maianthemum racemosum, Polygonatum pubescens and Trillium recurvatum) grew taller and flowering probability increased in the absence of deer. Plant community monitoring fails to capture initial and subtle effects of reduced or even cessation of deer browse on browse sensitive species. Measuring responses of individual plants (growth, flowering and reproductive success) provides a more sensitive and powerful assessment of forest understory responses to deer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Nuzzo
- Natural Area Consultants, 1 West Hill School Road, Richford, NY 13835, USA
| | - Andrea Dávalos
- Department of Natural Resources, 206 Fernow Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Bernd Blossey
- Department of Natural Resources, 206 Fernow Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Rogers JA, Collins CD. Ecological Predictors and Consequences of Non-Native Earthworms in Kennebec County, Maine. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2017. [DOI: 10.1656/045.024.0203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Cathy D. Collins
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, ME 04901
- Biology Program, Bard College, Annandale on Hudson, NY 12540
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18
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Craven D, Thakur MP, Cameron EK, Frelich LE, Beauséjour R, Blair RB, Blossey B, Burtis J, Choi A, Dávalos A, Fahey TJ, Fisichelli NA, Gibson K, Handa IT, Hopfensperger K, Loss SR, Nuzzo V, Maerz JC, Sackett T, Scharenbroch BC, Smith SM, Vellend M, Umek LG, Eisenhauer N. The unseen invaders: introduced earthworms as drivers of change in plant communities in North American forests (a meta-analysis). GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:1065-1074. [PMID: 27590777 PMCID: PMC5324548 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Globally, biological invasions can have strong impacts on biodiversity as well as ecosystem functioning. While less conspicuous than introduced aboveground organisms, introduced belowground organisms may have similarly strong effects. Here, we synthesize for the first time the impacts of introduced earthworms on plant diversity and community composition in North American forests. We conducted a meta-analysis using a total of 645 observations to quantify mean effect sizes of associations between introduced earthworm communities and plant diversity, cover of plant functional groups, and cover of native and non-native plants. We found that plant diversity significantly declined with increasing richness of introduced earthworm ecological groups. While plant species richness or evenness did not change with earthworm invasion, our results indicate clear changes in plant community composition: cover of graminoids and non-native plant species significantly increased, and cover of native plant species (of all functional groups) tended to decrease, with increasing earthworm biomass. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that introduced earthworms facilitate particular plant species adapted to the abiotic conditions of earthworm-invaded forests. Further, our study provides evidence that introduced earthworms are associated with declines in plant diversity in North American forests. Changing plant functional composition in these forests may have long-lasting effects on ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan Craven
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigDeutscher Platz 5e04103LeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityJohannisallee 2104103LeipzigGermany
| | - Madhav P. Thakur
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigDeutscher Platz 5e04103LeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityJohannisallee 2104103LeipzigGermany
| | - Erin K. Cameron
- Metapopulation Research CentreDepartment of BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiPO Box 65, 00014 HelsinkiFinland
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate ChangeNatural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15KøbenhavnDenmark
| | - Lee E. Frelich
- Center for Forest EcologyUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMNUSA
| | - Robin Beauséjour
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQCCanada
| | - Robert B. Blair
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity Of Minnesota2003 Upper Buford Circle Suite 135St. PaulMN55108USA
| | - Bernd Blossey
- Department of Natural ResourcesCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - James Burtis
- Department of Natural ResourcesCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Amy Choi
- Faculty of ForestryUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | - Andrea Dávalos
- Department of Natural ResourcesCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Timothy J. Fahey
- Department of Natural ResourcesCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Kevin Gibson
- Department of Botany and Plant PathologyPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteINUSA
| | - I. Tanya Handa
- Département des sciences biologiquesUniversité du Québec à MontréalMontréalQCCanada
| | | | - Scott R. Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOKUSA
| | - Victoria Nuzzo
- Natural Area Consultants1 West Hill School RoadRichfordNYUSA
| | - John C. Maerz
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
| | - Tara Sackett
- Faculty of ForestryUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | | | | | - Mark Vellend
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQCCanada
| | - Lauren G. Umek
- Plant Biology and ConservationNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonILUSA
- Department of Plant ScienceChicago Botanic GardenGlencoeILUSA
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigDeutscher Platz 5e04103LeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityJohannisallee 2104103LeipzigGermany
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Local-scale correlates of native and non-native earthworm distributions in juniper-encroached tallgrass prairie. Biol Invasions 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1383-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Paudel S, Wilson GWT, MacDonald B, Longcore T, Loss SR. Predicting spatial extent of invasive earthworms on an oceanic island. DIVERS DISTRIB 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shishir Paudel
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater OK 74078 USA
| | - Gail W. T. Wilson
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater OK 74078 USA
| | - Beau MacDonald
- Spatial Sciences Institute University of Southern California Los Angeles CA 90089 USA
- The Urban Wildlands Group PO Box 24020 Los Angeles CA 90024 USA
| | - Travis Longcore
- Spatial Sciences Institute University of Southern California Los Angeles CA 90089 USA
- The Urban Wildlands Group PO Box 24020 Los Angeles CA 90024 USA
- School of Architecture University of Southern California Los Angeles CA 90089 USA
| | - Scott R. Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater OK 74078 USA
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