Influence of Soil Buffering Capacity on Earthworm Growth, Survival, and Community Composition in the Western Adirondacks and Central New York

Rate of litter decay and litter macroinvertebrates in limed and unlimed forests of the Adirondack Mountains, USA

“…Hobbie et al (2006) found that rate of decomposition was positively related to Ca concentration for a variety of litter types, a connection that they argued was related to the abundance of earthworms that selected for foods high in Ca. Liming has been associated with an increase in earthworm populations in many studies (e.g., Ammer and Makeschin, 1994), though we did not detect a response in the current study and earthworm populations were apparently small at these sites (Bernard et al, 2009). By retrieving our litter bags during the day, we would have under-sampled taxa active at night.…”

“…Samples of earthworms in the current study suggested a positive response to liming, but small and variable samples prevented strong conclusions. Bernard et al (2009) detected few adult earthworms at our study sites in 2006, and these small populations may take many years to respond to changes in habitat quality. We collected no isopods at our sites, and many species within this group are restricted to well-buffered soils (Ormerod and Rundle, 1998).…”

Human Dimensions of Earthworm Invasion in the Adirondack State Park

“…Nearctic (native) earthworms have not yet recolonized the Adirondacks following the Wisconsin Glaciation (Hendrix and Bohlen 2002). Exotic earthworms are present there; however, no systematic sampling has been undertaken and the distribution of earthworm species in the Adirondacks is largely unknown (Bernard et al 2009). The octagonal-tailed worm (Dendrobaena octaedra) seems to be the most common species in the region and one of only two species, the other being Dendrodrilus rubidus, of which we are aware in the region's closed-canopy forests.…”

“…The octagonal-tailed worm (Dendrobaena octaedra) seems to be the most common species in the region and one of only two species, the other being Dendrodrilus rubidus, of which we are aware in the region's closed-canopy forests. Other exotic species are present in disturbed habitats, such as along roadsides or in residential yards (Bernard et al 2009). Multiple mechanisms explain the presence of these exotic earthworms in the Adirondacks.…”

“…For example, soil moisture and pH, leaf-litter quality and quantity, and level of land disturbance are key factors affecting the quality of the environment for earthworms (Hale et al 2005;Ammer et al 2006;Tiunov et al 2006;Bernard et al 2009). Even with favorable conditions, however, earthworm invasiveness is constrained by an average dispersal rate from an initial introduction site of about 10 m per year (Tiunov et al 2006;Hale 2008;Hendrix et al 2008).…”