Type of Presentation
Poster Session
Location
University Library
Start Date
4-18-2024 11:45 AM
End Date
4-18-2024 1:15 PM
Abstract
Both invasive exotic and native earthworms have undesirable ecological effects on the structure, function, and biodiversity of forest ecosystems in the Great Lakes area. Understanding the biological parameters and distribution patterns of these earthworms is crucial for their life cycle and their impacts on ecological processes such as nutrient biogeochemistry cycling and carbon sequestration in forests, as well as for informing forest management practices. In this study, abundance, distribution, and mass-length relation of earthworms were investigated in selective typical forest types along a Michigan-Illinois latitudinal gradient. These forest types include Hemlock-White pine-Maple (HWM) forests in Huron Mountains of Michigan, White Pine-Hemlock-Oak forests (WHO) in Sylvania Wilderness of Michigan, and Shagbark hickory-Oak-Black Cherry (SOB) forests in Governors State University Field Station of northeast Illinois. Earthworms were captured from established sampling quadrats in these selected forest types using a mustard solution extraction method. The results showed that the abundance was significantly reduced from HWM forests (13 individuals/m2) to WHO forests (28 individuals/m2) and SOB forests (90 individuals/m2). Earthworm exhibited the largest body dimensions in SOB forests, with a mean length and mass of 74 mm and 0.203 g, respectively. In contrast, HWM forests had the smallest earthworm body size, with average values of 31.6 mm and 0.038 g for length and mass, respectively. The body dimensions of earthworms in the WHO forests fell between those of the SOB and HWM forests. The regression equations describing the length-mass relations of the earthworms were: Mass = 7E-06L2.258, Mass = 1E-06L2.7255, and Mass = 2E-05L2.0792 in HWM, WHO, and SOB forests. The results suggested that variations in species compositions, food availability, soil nutrients, and micro-environments in the selected forest types may account for these differences in earthworm abundance and its body features. Our study provides scientific reference to further understanding of earthworm structure and function in northern forest ecosystems.
Identify Grant
Huron Mountains Wildlife Foundation
Presentation File
wf_yes
Included in
Characteristics of Earthworms in Selective Forest Types in Michigan-Illinois Region
University Library
Both invasive exotic and native earthworms have undesirable ecological effects on the structure, function, and biodiversity of forest ecosystems in the Great Lakes area. Understanding the biological parameters and distribution patterns of these earthworms is crucial for their life cycle and their impacts on ecological processes such as nutrient biogeochemistry cycling and carbon sequestration in forests, as well as for informing forest management practices. In this study, abundance, distribution, and mass-length relation of earthworms were investigated in selective typical forest types along a Michigan-Illinois latitudinal gradient. These forest types include Hemlock-White pine-Maple (HWM) forests in Huron Mountains of Michigan, White Pine-Hemlock-Oak forests (WHO) in Sylvania Wilderness of Michigan, and Shagbark hickory-Oak-Black Cherry (SOB) forests in Governors State University Field Station of northeast Illinois. Earthworms were captured from established sampling quadrats in these selected forest types using a mustard solution extraction method. The results showed that the abundance was significantly reduced from HWM forests (13 individuals/m2) to WHO forests (28 individuals/m2) and SOB forests (90 individuals/m2). Earthworm exhibited the largest body dimensions in SOB forests, with a mean length and mass of 74 mm and 0.203 g, respectively. In contrast, HWM forests had the smallest earthworm body size, with average values of 31.6 mm and 0.038 g for length and mass, respectively. The body dimensions of earthworms in the WHO forests fell between those of the SOB and HWM forests. The regression equations describing the length-mass relations of the earthworms were: Mass = 7E-06L2.258, Mass = 1E-06L2.7255, and Mass = 2E-05L2.0792 in HWM, WHO, and SOB forests. The results suggested that variations in species compositions, food availability, soil nutrients, and micro-environments in the selected forest types may account for these differences in earthworm abundance and its body features. Our study provides scientific reference to further understanding of earthworm structure and function in northern forest ecosystems.