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Zeiss R, Briones MJI, Mathieu J, Lomba A, Dahlke J, Heptner LF, Salako G, Eisenhauer N, Guerra CA. Effects of climate on the distribution and conservation of commonly observed European earthworms. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14187. [PMID: 37768192 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14187] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Belowground biodiversity distribution does not necessarily reflect aboveground biodiversity patterns, but maps of soil biodiversity remain scarce because of limited data availability. Earthworms belong to the most thoroughly studied soil organisms and-in their role as ecosystem engineers-have a significant impact on ecosystem functioning. We used species distribution modeling (SDMs) and available data sets to map the spatial distribution of commonly observed (i.e., frequently recorded) earthworm species (Annelida, Oligochaeta) across Europe under current and future climate conditions. First, we predicted potential species distributions with commonly used models (i.e., MaxEnt and Biomod) and estimated total species richness (i.e., number of species in a 5 × 5 km grid cell). Second, we determined how much the different types of protected areas covered predicted earthworm richness and species ranges (i.e., distributions) by estimating the respective proportion of the range area. Earthworm species richness was high in central western Europe and low in northeastern Europe. This pattern was mainly associated with annual mean temperature and precipitation seasonality, but the importance of predictor variables to species occurrences varied among species. The geographical ranges of the majority of the earthworm species were predicted to shift to eastern Europe and partly decrease under future climate scenarios. Predicted current and future ranges were only poorly covered by protected areas, such as national parks. More than 80% of future earthworm ranges were on average not protected at all (mean [SD] = 82.6% [0.04]). Overall, our results emphasize the urgency of considering especially vulnerable earthworm species, as well as other soil organisms, in the design of nature conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romy Zeiss
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maria J I Briones
- Departamento de Ecologia y Biologia Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Jérome Mathieu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université de Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Angela Lomba
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Jessica Dahlke
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät 1, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Laura-Fiona Heptner
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gabriel Salako
- Soil Zoology Division, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany
- Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Carlos A Guerra
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät 1, Halle (Saale), Germany
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2
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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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Mathieu J, Reynolds JW, Fragoso C, Hadly E. Multiple invasion routes have led to the pervasive introduction of earthworms in North America. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:489-499. [PMID: 38332024 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02310-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Soil-dwelling organisms play a key role in ecosystem functioning and the delivery of ecosystem services. As a consequence, soil taxa such as earthworms are iconic in good land management practices. However, their introduction in places where species did not co-evolve with them can trigger catastrophic changes. This issue has been largely ignored so far in nature management policies because of the positive image of soil taxa and the lack of knowledge of the magnitude of soil fauna introductions outside their native range. Here we address this gap with a large spatio-temporal database of introduced alien earthworms. We show that 70 alien earthworm species have colonized the North American continent. They have larger geographical ranges than native species and novel ecological functions, representing a serious threat to the biodiversity and functioning of native ecosystems. The probably continuous introduction of alien earthworms, from a variety of sources and introduction pathways, into many distant and often empty niches, contrasts with the classical patterns of invasions in most aboveground taxa. This suggests that earthworms, and probably other soil organisms, constitute a major but overlooked pool of invasive species that are not adequately managed by existing control and mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Mathieu
- Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UPEC, INRAE, IRD, Paris, France.
| | - John W Reynolds
- Oligochaetology Laboratory, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
- New Brunswick Museum, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Carlos Fragoso
- Red de Biodiversidad y Sistemática, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Elizabeth Hadly
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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4
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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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Bagheri M, Azimi M, Khoshnamvand H, Abdoli A, Ahmadzadeh F. The threat of a non-native oligochaete species in Iran's freshwater: assessment of the diversity and origin of Eiseniella tetraedra (Savigny, 1826) and its response to climate change. Biol Open 2023; 12:bio060180. [PMID: 38014991 PMCID: PMC10840848 DOI: 10.1242/bio.060180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Oligochaetes are the most abundant benthic taxa in aquatic ecosystems that play an important role in food webs. The present study aims to assess the diversity and origin of Eiseniella tetraedra as a non-native species in the Lar National Park of Iran and also its response to current and future climate change. We obtained the specimen from rivers and sequenced the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) and combined them with 117 sequences from the Jajroud and Karaj rivers in Iran and native regions from GenBank (NCBI). We also ran Species Distribution Modelings (SDMs) using an ensemble model approach that was estimated according to two shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs): 126 and 585 of the MRI-ESM2 based on CMIP6. According to the results, all the samples examined in the current study originated from Spanish rivers, and no unique haplotype was found in the Lar National Park. Moreover, the results also show high haplotype diversity that can positively affect the success of this non-native species in different freshwater. Also, the results of SDMs depict that climate change would remarkably affect the distribution of E. tetraedra and it verifies the invasion power of E. tetraedra in Iran's freshwater ecosystems over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Bagheri
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Evin, Tehran 1983963113, Iran
| | - Maryam Azimi
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Evin, Tehran 1983963113, Iran
| | - Hadi Khoshnamvand
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Evin, Tehran 1983963113, Iran
| | - Asghar Abdoli
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Evin, Tehran 1983963113, Iran
| | - Faraham Ahmadzadeh
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Evin, Tehran 1983963113, Iran
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6
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Malyutina Y, Wilson GWT, Duell EB, Loss SR. Effects of native and non-native earthworms on grassland plant communities and abundance of associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02926-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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7
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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: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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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8
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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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9
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Mietchen D, Penev L, Georgiev T, Ovcharova B, Kostadinova I. Open science in practice: 300 published research ideas and outcomes illustrate how RIO Journal facilitates engagement with the research process. RESEARCH IDEAS AND OUTCOMES 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/rio.7.e68595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since Research Ideas and Outcomes was launched in late 2015, it has stimulated experimentation around the publication of and engagement with research processes, especially those with a strong open science component. Here, we zoom in on the first 300 RIO articles that have been published and elucidate how they relate to the different stages and variants of the research cycle, how they help address societal challenges and what forms of engagement have evolved around these resources, most of which have a nature and scope that would prevent them from entering the scholarly record via more traditional journals. Building on these observations, we describe some changes we recently introduced in the policies and peer review process at RIO to further facilitate engagement with the research process, including the establishment of an article collections feature that allows us to bring together research ideas and outcomes from within one research cycle or across multiple ones, irrespective of where they have been published.
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10
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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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11
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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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12
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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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Ferlian O, Thakur MP, Castañeda González A, San Emeterio LM, Marr S, da Silva Rocha B, Eisenhauer N. Soil chemistry turned upside down: a meta-analysis of invasive earthworm effects on soil chemical properties. Ecology 2020; 101:e02936. [PMID: 31749167 PMCID: PMC7054046 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that invasive earthworms can dramatically reduce native biodiversity, both above and below the ground. However, we still lack a synthetic understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind these changes, such as whether earthworm effects on soil chemical properties drive such relationships. Here, we investigated the effects of invasive earthworms on soil chemical properties (pH, water content, and the stocks and fluxes of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) by conducting a meta-analysis. Invasive earthworms generally increased soil pH, indicating that the removal of organic layers and the upward transport of more base-rich mineral soil caused a shift in soil pH. Moreover, earthworms significantly decreased soil water content, suggesting that the burrowing activities of earthworms may have increased water infiltration of and/or increased evapotranspiration from soil. Notably, invasive earthworms had opposing effects on organic and mineral soil for carbon and nitrogen stocks, with decreases in organic, and increases in mineral soil. Nitrogen fluxes were higher in mineral soil, whereas fluxes in organic soil were not significantly affected by the presence of invasive earthworms, indicating that earthworms mobilize and redistribute nutrients among soil layers and increase overall nitrogen loss from the soil. Invasive earthworm effects on element stocks increased with ecological group richness only in organic soil. Earthworms further decreased ammonium stocks with negligible effects on nitrate stocks in organic soil, whereas they increased nitrate stocks but not ammonium stocks in mineral soil. Notably, all of these results were consistent across forest and grassland ecosystems underlining the generality of our findings. However, we found some significant differences between studies that were conducted in the field (observational and experimental settings) and in the lab, such as that the effects on soil pH decreased from field to lab settings, calling for a careful interpretation of lab findings. Our meta-analysis provides strong empirical evidence that earthworm invasion may lead to substantial changes in soil chemical properties and element cycling in soil. Furthermore, our results can help explain the dramatic effects of invasive earthworms on native biodiversity, for example, shifts towards the dominance of grass species over herbaceous ones, as shown by recent meta-analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103,
Leipzig, Germany
| | - Madhav P. Thakur
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology
(NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alejandra Castañeda González
- National Laboratory of Genomics for Biodiversity (LANGEBIO), Center
for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV),
Libramiento Norte Carretera León Km 9.6, 36821, Irapuato, México
| | - Layla M. San Emeterio
- Department of Biogeochemistry and Plant and Microbial Ecology,
Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNAS), Avenida Reina Mercedes, 10,
41012, Seville, Spain
| | - Susanne Marr
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Bioinformatics & Mass Spectrometry, Leibniz Institute of
Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther
University Halle Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Barbbara da Silva Rocha
- Department of Ecology, Federal University of Goiás,
Esperança Avenue, Campus Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, Goiás,
Brazil
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103,
Leipzig, Germany
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