11/14/2018
Studies continue on the invasive Asian jumping earthworm, and the latest reports don't look good.
It's been known that these critters eat leaf litter on the forest floor several times faster than their native counterparts, resulting in potential erosion, but how they're affecting the soil itself and the nutrients available to the surrounding flora are only now beginning to be studied.
A study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that the worms' f***s locks up iron, aluminum, potassium, and calcium, thus depriving plants from absorbing these key nutrients. How the worm droppings transform the soils they invade is important not only for understanding the effects of the worms on the land, but could potentially help in controlling the invasive worms. (http://www.geosociety.org/GSA/News/pr/2018/18-42.aspx)
Related to this research, another project aims to better understand the effects of this species as well as know where they are distributed. Citizen scientists can help by conducting earthworm surveys in forests and other habitats and reporting that data to Great Lakes Worm Watch. (http://greatlakeswormwatch.org/team/)
