Bob: The Giant Gippsland Earthworm of Australia (Megascolides australis) can be over 1 m in length and 1 inch in diameter. I doubt that your earthworms are that big. Also, earthworms eat by suction, not chewing. They don't have teeth.
It is possible for earthworms in temperate forests to lower the soil surface by about 6 inches, through disappearance of the duff, which is eaten by those species of earthworms that are detritivores (Lumbricus terrestris, nightcrawler) and L. rubellus (leaf worm). The endogeic species (dwell in the soil, unpigmented) such as angleworms (Aporrectodea species) might be able to lower the top surface of the mineral soil (A horizon) 1-2 inches through increasing the bulk density (i.e. compaction). Lee [email protected] wrote: > Will, > > Dang, I guess you are right. One of them suckers grabbed on to my leg > yesterday. Luckily I had a big staff and knocked it off before it could chew > off my leg and Lord knows what else. Earthworms in these parts grow big. Wow, > this coffee is strong! > > Bob > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > From: "Will Blozan" <[email protected]> > >> Bob, >> >> Duh, it's the earthworms lowering the soil level. >> >> Will F. Blozan >> President, Eastern Native Tree Society >> President, Appalachian Arborists, Inc. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On >> Behalf Of [email protected] >> Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2008 12:22 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [ENTS] Re: Shrub-layer an empty niche? >> >> >> ENTS, >> >> On the short daylight hours of winter, what does one do with one's time? >> Why, Bob, you say, what a silly question! Why, measure trees of course. >> And, that folks is exactly what I've been doing, but with a specific purpose >> in mind. I am comparing summertime with wintertime measurements of trees in >> our wooded lot. One tree occupied the spotlight this morning - the Monica >> Tuliptree. In summer, the crown is full and prevents full laser penetration >> to the higher, farther twigs. This is the rule rather than the exception >> with tuliptree and makes the species difficult to measure to the absolute >> top. >> My summer measurements of the Monica tuliptree range from 121 to 123 >> feet, depending on my exact location, with 123 utilizing the most optimistic >> readings from my instruments. Today's winter measurement were taken from the >> second floor of our home, looking out a window that provides an unobstructed >> view of both base and crown. At the point of measurement, I was 43.5 feet >> above the base of the tree. The height I got (with repetition) was 125.4 >> feet. By being at a higher location than on the deck by 10 feet and shooting >> in the winter, I am able to see twigs farther into the crown and hit higher >> points. BTW, I used both the Prostaff 440 and Prostaff 550 and got >> measurements that were in agreement. >> In our discussions about tree measuring, we have often acknowledged >> that winter is the best time to measure hardwoods and I can certainly verify >> that. Monica's tuliptree gets frequent re-measurements and is one of several >> dozen trees I use to keep tabs on the range of readings I can get from >> casual measurements taken at different times of the year. >> The wintertime measurement of Monica's tuliptree puts the slender tree >> in the 125 Club. It shares this distinction with 3 other trees, two white >> pines and another tuliptree. Altogether, there are 6 trees on Monica's >> property that exceed 120 feet in height. None of our surrounding neighbors >> with private property can lay claim to the same. Not bloody bad, folks. Not >> bloody bad. >> >> Bob >> >> >> >> > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org You are subscribed to the Google Groups "ENTSTrees" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
