Impact of invasive earthworms on Ixodes scapularis and other litter-dwelling arthropods in hardwood forests,central New York state,USA |
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| Institution: | 1. Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China;2. Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve, Shenzhen 518000, China;3. College of Life Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China;4. Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;5. Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;6. Shenzhen Wild Animal Rescue Center, Xinzhou Road, Shenzhen 518040, China;1. School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester St., Manchester M1 5GD, United Kingdom;2. Penny Anderson Associates, Park Lea, 60 Park Road, Buxton SK17 6SN, Derbyshire, United Kingdom;3. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, Scotland, United Kingdom;4. Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4ND, Scotland, United Kingdom;1. Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 3625 93rd Avenue Southwest, Olympia, WA 98512-1101, USA;2. Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;1. Department of Forestry, Forest & Wildlife Research Center, Box 9681, Mississippi State University, MS 39759, USA;2. Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA;3. USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Athens, GA 30602, USA;4. School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA;5. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Seattle, WA 98103, USA;6. Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Str. 2, 94481 Grafenau, Germany;7. Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Center for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany;1. US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 240 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;2. Department of Ecosystem Sciences and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;3. Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA |
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| Abstract: | Invasive earthworms alter the structure of soils in northern hardwood forests, but the quantitative impacts on litter-dwelling invertebrates are unclear. Litter loss should reduce the habitat space, but nutrient-rich earthworm burrows might provide food resources. We investigated the impact of invasive earthworms on populations of Ixodes scapularis (black-legged ticks) and other litter-dwelling arthropods to determine the impact of a reduced litter environment. We used five pairs of one-hectare sites (earthworm invaded versus reference) within four separate contiguous forests in New York state. The presence of earthworms decreased the density of nymphal I. scapularis by 46.1% and larval I. scapularis by 29.3%. We also observed a dramatic decline in the total abundance of litter-dwelling arthropods with 69.9% of the arthropod population disappearing in the presence of earthworms. Additionally, litter arthropod populations declined disproportionately to leaf litter mass reduction indicating that the quality of the remaining litter material in the earthworm sites was poor. The impact of earthworm invasion on the litter environment and implications for the position of an important disease vector (I. scapularis) within the litter ecosystem are explored. |
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| Keywords: | Exotic earthworm invasion Northern hardwood forest Litter-dwelling arthropods |
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