Lee, to what extent is the lack of many native species due to a slow rebound from the end of last glaciation? Joe ----- Original Message ----- From: Lee Frelich To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 9:59 AM Subject: [ENTS] Re: earthworms and invasive plants
Joe Most of the earthworms you see at your latitude are European species, The nightcrawler (Lumbricus terrestris), leaf worm (L. rubellus), angleworms (several species of Aporrectodea and Octolasion), and small litter worm (Dendrobaena octeadra) are common European species from the Great Lakes through most of New England. You may also have some Asian worms (Amynthas species). Native earthworms are not very abundant in MA. They have a spotty distribution and include the genera Eisenoides and the aquatic Sparganophilus. I noticed a report that you also have the introduced earthworm predator, a flatworm named Bipalium adventitium. We don't know much about it, or whether it might control invasive earthworm populations, but it recently reached the Midwest as well. Its basically a small version of the creature from the movie "Aliens". It squirts an earthworm with acid/digestive juices and the earthworm dissolves, and the flatworm suck up the resulting dissolved proteins. Good thing its only 2 inches long. Lee Joseph Zorzin wrote: > Lee, which earthworms that we have in the east are not native? Does > that include the common earthworm that is found in the NE? > Joe > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Lee Frelich <mailto:[email protected]> > *To:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, August 07, 2009 9:04 AM > *Subject:* [ENTS] Re: earthworms and invasive plants > > > Russ: > > Thanks--I was aware that the article was going to be published > because I > was one of the peer reviewers. I downloaded a pdf of it and will > send to > your e-mail address. > > We have known that invasive plants are facilitated by earthworms > for a > few years, but it is difficult field work to do to prove it. I > suspect > there will be several more papers on this topic in the next few > years. > In this case, the study shows that European earthworms facilitate > invasion of Japanese stiltgrass, barberry and garlic mustard. I > suspect > the worms also facilitate buckthorn and tatarian honeysuckle. > > Lee > > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> wrote: > > ENTS....Lee: > > > > This is a link to a study of earthworms and invasive plants. > > > > I don't want to pay the $59 to read the entire article but > someone in > > the list might even subscribe to the publication it is printed in. > > > > > http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/cbi/2009/00000023/00000004/art00029 > > > > Russ > > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
