Cascading effects of earthworm invasion increase graminoid density and rodent grazing intensities. Jonsson, H., Olofsson, J., Blume-Werry, G., & Klaminder, J. Ecology, 105(2):e4212, 2024. _eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ecy.4212
Cascading effects of earthworm invasion increase graminoid density and rodent grazing intensities [link]Paper  doi  abstract   bibtex   
Human-mediated dispersal of non-native earthworms can cause substantial changes to the functioning and composition of ecosystems previously earthworm-free. Some of these earthworm species have the potential to “geoengineer” soils and increase plant nitrogen (N) uptake. Yet the possible consequences of increased plant N concentrations on rodent grazing remains poorly understood. In this study, we present findings from a common garden experiment with two tundra communities, meadow (forb dominated) and heath (shrub dominated), half of them subjected to 4 years of earthworm presence (Lumbricus spp. and Aporrectodea spp.). Within four summers, our earthworm treatment changed plant community composition by increasing graminoid density by, on average, 94% in the heath vegetation and by 49% in the meadow. Rodent winter grazing was more intense on plants growing in soils with earthworms, an effect that coincided with higher N concentrations in plants, indicating a higher palatability. Even though earthworms reduced soil moisture, plant community productivity, as indicated by vegetation greenness (normalized difference vegetation index), was not negatively impacted. We conclude that earthworm-induced changes in plant composition and trophic interactions may fundamentally alter the functioning of tundra ecosystems.
@article{jonsson_cascading_2024,
	title = {Cascading effects of earthworm invasion increase graminoid density and rodent grazing intensities},
	volume = {105},
	copyright = {© 2023 The Authors. Ecology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Ecological Society of America.},
	issn = {1939-9170},
	url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ecy.4212},
	doi = {10.1002/ecy.4212},
	abstract = {Human-mediated dispersal of non-native earthworms can cause substantial changes to the functioning and composition of ecosystems previously earthworm-free. Some of these earthworm species have the potential to “geoengineer” soils and increase plant nitrogen (N) uptake. Yet the possible consequences of increased plant N concentrations on rodent grazing remains poorly understood. In this study, we present findings from a common garden experiment with two tundra communities, meadow (forb dominated) and heath (shrub dominated), half of them subjected to 4 years of earthworm presence (Lumbricus spp. and Aporrectodea spp.). Within four summers, our earthworm treatment changed plant community composition by increasing graminoid density by, on average, 94\% in the heath vegetation and by 49\% in the meadow. Rodent winter grazing was more intense on plants growing in soils with earthworms, an effect that coincided with higher N concentrations in plants, indicating a higher palatability. Even though earthworms reduced soil moisture, plant community productivity, as indicated by vegetation greenness (normalized difference vegetation index), was not negatively impacted. We conclude that earthworm-induced changes in plant composition and trophic interactions may fundamentally alter the functioning of tundra ecosystems.},
	language = {en},
	number = {2},
	urldate = {2024-03-26},
	journal = {Ecology},
	author = {Jonsson, Hanna and Olofsson, Johan and Blume-Werry, Gesche and Klaminder, Jonatan},
	year = {2024},
	note = {\_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ecy.4212},
	keywords = {Lumbricidae, earthworms, grazing, non-native, plant community, soil moisture, tundra, ⛔ No DOI found},
	pages = {e4212},
}

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