Native Earthworms Reduce Impacts of Exotic Earthworm Invasions on Soil Processes in Wildland Ecosystems

过去一个世纪的研究表明，在蚯蚓丰富的地方，它们显著影响着对陆地生态系统功能至关重要的土壤过程。最近的兴趣集中在入侵的外来蚯蚓对土壤过程的影响，特别是在温带地区。在许多情况下，引进的蚯蚓对土壤有机质动态的巨大影响已被报道。几乎所有这些工作的重点都集中在少数几种外来蚯蚓上，它们已经实现了广泛的分布，现在在许多生态系统的土壤动物中占据主导地位。这种影响很少从入侵当地蚯蚓群落所居住的生态系统中得到报道，特别是在土壤不受干扰的地方。这项拟议工作的目标是解决以下问题：1)在未受干扰的本土生态系统中，本土蚯蚓物种是否保持着对外来蚯蚓物种的排他性或优势性？2)外来蚯蚓物种在其本土生态系统中存在时，是否会减少对土壤过程的影响？更广泛的影响：这项工作将促进对一名博士后助理、一名研究生和几名本科生的培训。将与区域和国家博物馆开展合作，以促进任何新的生物收藏和促进生物多样性信息。

Research over the past century has shown that where earthworms are abundant, they significantly influence soil processes critical to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Recent interest has focused on impacts of invasive, exotic earthworms on soil processes, particularly in temperate regions. Dramatic effects of introduced earthworms on soil organic matter dynamics have been reported in a number of cases. The focus of nearly all of this work has been on a few species of exotic earthworms which have achieved wide distributions and now dominate the soil fauna in many ecosystems. Such effects have rarely been reported from invasions of ecosystems inhabited by native earthworm assemblages, particularly where soils are undisturbed. Objectives of this proposed work are to address the following questions:1) Do native earthworm species maintain exclusivity or dominance over exotic earthworm species in undisturbed, native ecosystems? 2) Are the impacts of exotic earthworm species on soil processes reduced in the presence of native earthworm species in their native ecosystems? Broader impacts: This work will promote training of a post-doctoral associate, a graduate student and several undergraduate students. Collaborations with regional and national museums will be developed to foster any new biological collections and to promote biodiversity information.