Resident plant diversity and introduced earthworms have contrasting effects on the success of invasive plants

Whitfeld, Timothy J. S.; Roth, Alexander M.; Lodge, Alexandra G.; Eisenhauer, Nico; Frelich, Lee E.

doi:10.1007/s10530-014-0657-6

Cited by 18 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 75 publications

(94 reference statements)

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“…Plant species that coevolved in the presence of earthworms, that is plant species of European and Asian origin, could have adaptations that confer tolerance to the presence of earthworms. Non-native plant species may be adapted to similar soil conditions as those found in earthworm-invaded forests, such as high soil pH and sparse litter cover (Nuzzo et al, 2009;Beaus ejour et al, 2014;Whitfeld et al, 2014). The bioturbation of the forest floor associated with earthworm invasion also may favor non-native plant species without obligate mycorrhizal associations (Lawrence et al, 2003;Paudel et al, 2016).…”

Section: Changes In Plant Community Composition: Native Versus Non-namentioning

confidence: 99%

The unseen invaders: introduced earthworms as drivers of change in plant communities in North American forests (a meta‐analysis)

Craven

Thakur

Cameron

et al. 2016

Global Change Biology

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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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Section: Changes In Plant Community Composition: Native Versus Non-namentioning

confidence: 99%

The unseen invaders: introduced earthworms as drivers of change in plant communities in North American forests (a meta‐analysis)

Craven

Thakur

Cameron

et al. 2016

Global Change Biology

Self Cite

122

134

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“…Positive associations between invasive earthworms and invasive plants (Heneghan et al, 2007;Nuzzo et al, 2009;Whitfeld et al, 2014) suggest facilitative interactions between both groups. Studies at invasion fronts indicate that earthworm invasion precedes and facilitates invasion by three non-native forest plants [ (Nuzzo et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the presence of deer, unpalatable species produce higher biomass or show increased population growth rates (Eschtruth and Battles, 2009a;Kalisz et al, 2014). Target non-natives are also positively associated with earthworms (Nuzzo et al, 2009;Whitfeld et al, 2014) and, in fact, rarely occur at high densities at sites with low earthworm abundance (personal observation). Considering that these stressors co-occur and that mounting evidence indicates that populations and impacts of invasive plants, earthworms and deer are characterized by complex non-additive interactions (Waller and Maas, 2013;Dávalos et al, 2014;Flory and Bauer, 2014) it is paramount to quantify their combined effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single and interactive effects of deer and earthworms on non-native plants

Dávalos

Nuzzo²,

Blossey

2015

Forest Ecology and Management

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“…However, an understanding of the controls on the germination and initial establishment of buckthorn remains limited. It has been proposed that earthworms facilitate the invasion of buckthorn, but to our knowledge, there is little experimental evidence to support this prediction (Whitfeld et al 2014b). In the following sections we discuss how the results contribute to a better understanding of our three main questions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive earthworms interact with abiotic conditions to influence the invasion of common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

et al. 2014

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Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L.) is one of the most abundant and ecologically harmful non-native plants in forests of the Upper Midwest United States. At the same time, European earthworms are invading previously glaciated areas in this region, with largely anecdotal evidence suggesting they compound the negative effects of buckthorn and influence the invasibility of these forests. Germination and seedling establishment are important control points for colonization by any species, and manipulation of the conditions influencing these life history stages may provide insight into why invasive species are successful in some environments and not others. Using a greenhouse microcosm experiment, we examined the effects of important biotic and abiotic factors on the germination and seedling establishment of common buckthorn. We manipulated light levels, leaf litter depth and earthworm presence to investigate the independent and interactive effects of these treatments on buckthorn establishment. We found that light and leaf litter depth were significant predictors of buckthorn germination but that the presence of earthworms was the most important factor; earthworms interacted with light and leaf litter to increase the number and biomass of buckthorn across all treatments. Path analysis suggested both direct and moisture-mediated indirect mechanisms controlled these processes. The results suggest that the action of earthworms may provide a pathway through which buckthorn invades forests of the Upper Midwest United States. Hence, researchers and managers should consider co-invasion of plants and earthworms when investigating invasibility and creating preemptive or post-invasion management plans.

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Resident plant diversity and introduced earthworms have contrasting effects on the success of invasive plants

Cited by 18 publications

References 75 publications

The unseen invaders: introduced earthworms as drivers of change in plant communities in North American forests (a meta‐analysis)

The unseen invaders: introduced earthworms as drivers of change in plant communities in North American forests (a meta‐analysis)

Single and interactive effects of deer and earthworms on non-native plants

Invasive earthworms interact with abiotic conditions to influence the invasion of common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

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