Invasive Asian earthworms of the genus <i>Amynthas</i> alter microhabitat use by terrestrial salamanders

Ziemba, Julie L.; Cameron, Alex C.; Peterson, K. M.; Hickerson, Cari‐Ann M.; Anthony, Carl D.

doi:10.1139/cjz-2015-0056

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…As warmer, drier conditions continue to facilitate earthworm invasions, we would expect these factors to exert strong negative effects on terrestrial dwelling, lungless salamanders (Brunges et al, 2020). Evidence suggests that nonnative earthworms consume leaf litter microhabitat that houses salamander fDprey at very rapid rates and that these invaders are negatively associated with juvenile and male red-backed salamanders in the field (Ziemba et al, 2015(Ziemba et al, , 2016.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does the thermal mismatch hypothesis predict disease outcomes in different morphs of a terrestrial salamander?

et al. 2022

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Many aspects of ectotherm physiology are temperature‐dependent. The immune system of temperate‐dwelling ectothermic host species is no exception and their immune function is often downregulated in cold temperatures. Likewise, species of ectothermic pathogens experience temperature‐mediated effects on rates of transmission and/or virulence. Although seemingly straightforward, predicting the outcomes of ectothermic host−pathogen interactions is quite challenging. A recent hypothesis termed the thermal mismatch hypothesis posits that cool‐adapted host species should be most susceptible to pathogen infection during warm temperature periods whereas warm‐adapted host species should be most susceptible to pathogens during periods of cool temperatures. We explore this hypothesis using two ecologically and physiologically differentiated color morphs of the Eastern Red‐backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) and a pathogenic chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; hereafter “Bd”) using a fully factorial laboratory experiment. At cool temperatures, unstriped salamanders (i.e., those that are tolerant of warm temperatures) had a significantly higher probability of Bd infection compared with cool‐tolerant striped salamanders, consistent with the thermal mismatch hypothesis. However, we found no support for this hypothesis when salamanders were exposed to Bd at warm temperatures: the probability of Bd infection in the cool‐tolerant striped salamanders was nearly identical in both cool and warm temperatures, opposite the predictions of the thermal mismatch hypothesis. Our results are most consistent with the fact that Bd grows poorly at warm temperatures. Alternatively, our data could indicate that the two color morphs do not differ in their tolerance to warm temperatures but that striped salamanders are more tolerant to cool temperatures than unstriped salamanders.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does the thermal mismatch hypothesis predict disease outcomes in different morphs of a terrestrial salamander?

et al. 2022

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“…These findings are consistent with a previous laboratory microcosm experiment that found altered P . cinereus microhabitat use in the presence of pheretimoid earthworms and increased importance of CO microhabitat following earthworm-mediated LL consumption [ 41 ]. In the present study, salamanders used low quality microhabitat (dry areas outside of the CO) significantly more often when paired with earthworms than when alone in laboratory trials.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The only study that has examined the effect of large pheretimoid earthworms on P . cinereus behavior found altered salamander CO use and increased salamander movement between microhabitats over time as LL was consumed by earthworms in laboratory microcosms [ 41 ]. Since large pheretimoid earthworms remove the detrital habitat of salamanders, but do not construct permanent soil burrows that serve as an alternate spatial resource, impacts of their invasion on P .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive Asian Earthworms Negatively Impact Keystone Terrestrial Salamanders

2016

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Asian pheretimoid earthworms (e.g. Amynthas and Metaphire spp.) are invading North American forests and consuming the vital detrital layer that forest floor biota [including the keystone species Plethodon cinereus (Eastern Red-backed Salamander)], rely on for protection, food, and habitat. Plethodon cinereus population declines have been associated with leaf litter loss following the invasion of several exotic earthworm species, but there have been few studies on the specific interactions between pheretimoid earthworms and P. cinereus. Since some species of large and active pheretimoids spatially overlap with salamanders beneath natural cover objects and in detritus, they may distinctively compound the negative consequences of earthworm-mediated resource degradation by physically disturbing important salamander activities (foraging, mating, and egg brooding). We predicted that earthworms would exclude salamanders from high quality microhabitat, reduce foraging efficiency, and negatively affect salamander fitness. In laboratory trials, salamanders used lower quality microhabitat and consumed fewer flies in the presence of earthworms. In a natural field experiment, conducted on salamander populations from “non-invaded” and “pheretimoid invaded” sites in Ohio, salamanders and earthworms shared cover objects ~60% less than expected. Earthworm abundance was negatively associated with juvenile and male salamander abundance, but had no relationship with female salamander abundance. There was no effect of pheretimoid invasion on salamander body condition. Juvenile and non-resident male salamanders do not hold stable territories centered beneath cover objects such as rocks or logs, which results in reduced access to prey, greater risk of desiccation, and dispersal pressure. Habitat degradation and physical exclusion of salamanders from cover objects may hinder juvenile and male salamander performance, ultimately reducing recruitment and salamander abundance following Asian earthworm invasion.

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“…Finally, two studies in Ohio found that non-native Amynthas earthworms alter microhabitats and behavior of P. cinereus. The first found that earthworm presence decreased leaf litter mass over time, leading salamanders to increase movement, cover object use, and co-occurrence under cover objects with earthworms (Ziemba et al, 2015). A follow-up study found further evidence the salamanders were negatively impacted by Amynthas and Metaphire spp.…”

Section: (H) Community Ecologymentioning

confidence: 98%

Eastern red-backed salamanders: A comprehensive review of an undervalued model in evolution, ecology, & behavior

Fisher‐Reid¹,

Grayson²,

Grouleff³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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What makes a model organism? Identifying the qualities of a model organism has been given a great deal of attention in the biomolecular sciences, but less so in the fields of evolution, ecology, and behavior (EEB). In EEB, biotic and abiotic variation are features to understand, not bugs to get rid of, and EEB scientists often select organisms to study which best suit the scientific question at hand. Successful EEB model organisms can be studied at multiple biological scales and have a wealth of accumulated knowledge on which current research programs build. A recent call within EEB to invest in the inclusive development of diverse model systems and scientists has led us to evaluate the standing of the widespread, abundant, terrestrial salamander we study, the eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus). We first look at salamanders as EEB models more generally, to determine where P. cinereus fits in this broader context. We next present a comprehensive review of the literature on the eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) since the last comprehensive review was completed in 1998. The core of our paper reviews 410 recent studies and highlights inconsistencies, gaps in our knowledge, and future directions in the context of the 1998 review. Finally, we present a collaborative research network, SPARCnet, as a nascent infrastructure for continued research on P. cinereus. Here, we especially discuss how this type of infrastructure can be broadly applied not just to other salamanders, but to other model systems, so that the future of EEB research may benefit from models which accurately represent, in Darwin’s words, “endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful.”

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Invasive Asian earthworms of the genus Amynthas alter microhabitat use by terrestrial salamanders

Cited by 18 publications

References 52 publications

Does the thermal mismatch hypothesis predict disease outcomes in different morphs of a terrestrial salamander?

Does the thermal mismatch hypothesis predict disease outcomes in different morphs of a terrestrial salamander?

Invasive Asian Earthworms Negatively Impact Keystone Terrestrial Salamanders

Eastern red-backed salamanders: A comprehensive review of an undervalued model in evolution, ecology, & behavior

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