Non-native invasive earthworms as agents of change in northern temperate forests

Exotic earthworms from Europe and Asia are invading many northern forests in North America that currently lack native earthworms, providing an opportunity to assess the role of this important group of invertebrates in forest ecosystems. Research on earthworm invasions has focused on changes in soil structure and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling that occur following invasion. These changes include the mixing of organic and mineral soil horizons, decreases in soil C storage, and equivocal effects on N cycling. Less well studied are changes in the soil foodwebs that accompany earthworm invasion. Soils of north temperate forests harbor a tremendous diversity of microorganisms and invertebrates, whose distribution and abundance can be substantially altered by earthworm invasion. Furthermore, invasive earthworms can affect understory plant communities, raising concerns over the loss of rare native herbs in some areas. The ecological consequences of earthworm invasion are mediated through physical, geochemical, and biological effects. These effects vary with different earthworm species, as well as with the characteristics of the site being invaded. Earthworm invasions may have important interactions with other rapid changes predicted for northern forests in the coming decades, including climate and land-use change, increased nutrient deposition, and other biological invasions.