Global distribution of earthworm diversity

Science, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 366(6464), P. 480 - 485

Published: Oct. 24, 2019

Soil organisms, including earthworms, are a key component of terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about their diversity, distribution, and the threats affecting them. We compiled global dataset sampled earthworm communities from 6928 sites in 57 countries as basis for predicting patterns abundance, biomass. found that local species richness abundance typically peaked at higher latitudes, displaying opposite to those observed aboveground organisms. high dissimilarity across tropical locations may cause diversity entirety tropics be than elsewhere. Climate variables were more important shaping soil properties or habitat cover. These findings suggest climate change have serious implications functions they provide.

Language: Английский

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Soil Biodiversity Integrates Solutions for a Sustainable Future

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 12(7), P. 2662 - 2662

Published: March 27, 2020

Soils are home to more than 25% of the earth’s total biodiversity and supports life on land water, nutrient cycling retention, food production, pollution remediation, climate regulation. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that multiple sustainability goals can be simultaneously addressed when soil biota put at center management assessments; this is because activity interactions organisms intimately tied processes ecosystems society rely on. With globally relevant programs, we will able efficiently holistically achieve Sustainable Development Goals Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Here review scenarios where clearly support global targets, changes pressures threaten biodiversity, actions conserve advance goals. This synthesis shows how latest empirical from biological research shape tangible around world for a sustainable future.

Language: Английский

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Invasive earthworms erode soil biodiversity: A meta‐analysis

Journal of Animal Ecology, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 87(1), P. 162 - 172

Published: Aug. 18, 2017

Abstract Biological invasions pose a serious threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across ecosystems. Invasions by engineers, in particular, have been shown dramatic effects recipient For instance, invasion earthworms, below‐ground invertebrate engineer, previously earthworm‐free ecosystems alters the physico‐chemical characteristics of soil. Studies that such alterations soil can far‐reaching impacts on organisms, which form major portion terrestrial biodiversity. Here, we present first quantitative synthesis earthworm micro‐organisms invertebrates based 430 observations from 30 independent studies. Our meta‐analysis shows significant decline diversity density response with anecic endogeic earthworms causing strongest effects. Earthworm were context‐dependent, as depending functional group richness invasive depth. Microbial biomass increased mineral layers, weak negative effect organic indicating mixing layers (bioturbation) may homogenize microbial communities layers. provides compelling evidence for common engineer ecosystems, could potentially alter functions services linked biota.

Language: Английский

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Biodiversity conservation through the lens of metacommunity ecology

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 1469(1), P. 86 - 104

Published: May 14, 2020

Abstract Metacommunity ecology combines local (e.g., environmental filtering and biotic interactions) regional dispersal heterogeneity) processes to understand patterns of species abundance, occurrence, composition, diversity across scales space time. As such, it has a great potential generalize synthesize our understanding many ecological problems. Here, we give an overview how metacommunity perspective can provide useful insights for conservation biology, which aims mitigate the effects anthropogenic drivers that decrease population sizes, increase extinction probabilities, threaten biodiversity. We review four general processes—environmental filtering, interactions, dispersal, drift—and discuss key habitat loss fragmentation, nonnative species) alter these processes. next describe interest in metacommunities (abundance, occupancy, diversity) map onto issues at heart cases where biology benefits by taking scale‐explicit perspective. conclude with some ways forward including perspectives into ideas ecosystem functioning services, as well approaches management, preservation, restoration.

Language: Английский

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Promoting and maintaining diversity in contemporary hardwood forests: Confronting contemporary drivers of change and the loss of ecological memory

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 421, P. 98 - 108

Published: Jan. 19, 2018

Language: Английский

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Side‐swiped: ecological cascades emanating from earthworm invasions

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 17(9), P. 502 - 510

Published: Aug. 28, 2019

Non‐native, invasive earthworms are altering soils throughout the world. Ecological cascades emanating from these invasions stem rapid consumption of leaf litter by earthworms. This occurs at a midpoint in trophic pyramid, unlike more familiar bottom‐up or top‐down cascades. These cause fundamental changes (“microcascade effects”) soil morphology, bulk density, and nutrient leaching, shift to warmer, drier surfaces with loss litter. In North American temperate boreal forests, microcascade effects can affect carbon sequestration, disturbance regimes, water quality, forest productivity, plant communities, wildlife habitat, facilitate other species. broader‐scale (“macrocascade greater concern society. Interactions among create “cascade complexes” that interact climate change environmental processes. The diversity cascade effects, combined vast area invaded earthworms, leads regionally important ecological functioning.

Language: Английский

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Urban forest invertebrates: how they shape and respond to the urban environment

Urban Ecosystems, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 25(6), P. 1589 - 1609

Published: May 19, 2022

Abstract Invertebrates comprise the most diversified animal group on Earth. Due to their long evolutionary history and small size, invertebrates occupy a remarkable range of ecological niches, play an important role as “ecosystem engineers” by structuring networks mutualistic antagonistic interactions in almost all terrestrial ecosystems. Urban forests provide critical ecosystem services humans, and, other systems, are central maintaining functioning urban forests. Identifying can help elucidate importance practitioners public, not only preserve biodiversity environments, but also make public aware functional healthy greenspaces. In this review, we examine multiple roles that contribute service provisioning, including pollination, predation, herbivory, seed microorganism dispersal organic matter decomposition, those lead disservices, primarily from health perspective, e.g., transmission invertebrate-borne diseases. We then identify number filters structure forest invertebrate communities, such changes habitat structure, increased landscape imperviousness, microclimatic pollution. discuss complexity ways respond urbanisation, acclimation, local extinction evolution. Finally, present management recommendations support conserve viable diverse populations into future.

Language: Английский

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Microclimate and mining stresses the diversity of earthworms and further impact the regeneration of forests along the Rio Doce

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Soil structure, along with the fauna and plant biodiversity it sustains, can be affected by various factors, including both natural human-induced disturbances such as climate fluctuations mining activities. Earthworms are ecosystem engineers highly these changes in soil conditions. In present study, we evaluated earthworm community different climatic periods their impact on diversity a region tailings. Earthworm was significantly higher during period of precipitation, areas tailings reference sites. Additionally, composition species impacted, showing predominantly gains despite influence waste. The total invasive abundance earthworms linked to greater regenerating stratum sites but not impacted These findings highlight potential consequences change disasters communities, well structure dynamics. Moreover, they underscore environmental impacts world's largest disaster within one planet's key hotspots, emphasizing urgent need for improved recovery strategies.

Language: Английский

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Soil chemistry turned upside down: a meta‐analysis of invasive earthworm effects on soil chemical properties

Ecology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 101(3)

Published: Nov. 21, 2019

Abstract Recent studies have shown that invasive earthworms can dramatically reduce native biodiversity, both above and below the ground. However, we still lack a synthetic understanding of underlying mechanisms behind these changes, such as whether earthworm effects on soil chemical properties drive relationships. Here, investigated (pH, water content, stocks fluxes carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) by conducting meta‐analysis. Invasive generally increased pH, indicating removal organic layers upward transport more base‐rich mineral caused shift in pH. Moreover, significantly decreased suggesting burrowing activities may infiltration and/or evapotranspiration from soil. Notably, had opposing for carbon nitrogen stocks, with decreases organic, increases Nitrogen were higher soil, whereas not affected presence earthworms, mobilize redistribute nutrients among increase overall loss element ecological group richness only Earthworms further ammonium negligible nitrate they but all results consistent across forest grassland ecosystems underlining generality our findings. found some significant differences between conducted field (observational experimental settings) lab, pH to lab settings, calling careful interpretation Our meta‐analysis provides strong empirical evidence invasion lead substantial changes cycling Furthermore, help explain dramatic example, shifts towards dominance grass species over herbaceous ones, recent meta‐analyses.

Language: Английский

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Invasive earthworms unlock arctic plant nitrogen limitation

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 11(1)

Published: April 14, 2020

Abstract Arctic plant growth is predominantly nitrogen (N) limited. This limitation generally attributed to slow soil microbial processes due low temperatures. Here, we show that arctic plant-soil N cycling also substantially constrained by the lack of larger detritivores (earthworms) able mineralize and physically translocate litter organic matter. These new functions provided earthworms increased shrub grass concentration in our common garden experiment. Earthworm activity either height or number floral shoots, while enhancing fine root production vegetation greenness heath meadow communities a level exceeded inherent differences between these two communities. Moreover, worming effects on greening reported warming, herbivory nutrient addition, suggesting human spreading may lead substantial changes structure function ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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