Earthworm assemblages in the Eastern and Midwestern United States and the legacy of glaciation

The earthworm fauna of North America consists of a dynamic pool of native and non-native species. History of glaciation during the Pleistocene may strongly affect present earthworm assemblages, but its importance relative to other factors is unclear. We used a standard sampling protocol at 94 sites across 13 states to better understand the factors affecting diversity and abundance of earthworms in the eastern and central United States. We divided our sites into Northeastern Glaciated, Midwestern Glaciated, and Non-glaciated regions. Habitat type, proximity to water and roads, soil type and drainage, and soil pH were measured. A small number of European species was dominant throughout the sampled region. Native earthworms were rare and pheretimoid (“jumping worm”) species were present only at a small portion of our sites. Earthworms were most abundant and diverse in the Midwestern Glaciated region, where non-native earthworm invasion was the most recent, and least common and diverse below the southern limit of glaciation. Soil pH had a subtle positive effect on earthworm abundance and diversity. Community composition differed among regions and habitats. Assemblages also differed between summer and autumn/spring, probably due to seasonal sampling biases. Earthworm communities in previously glaciated areas, and especially in the recently invaded Upper Midwest, may benefit from soil organic matter accumulated during millennia without earthworms since glacial retreat.

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Publication Details

Journal
Biological Invasions
Published
2026-04-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-026-03798-3
Primary Topic
Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Earthworm assemblages in the Eastern and Midwestern United States and the legacy of glaciation

Laurel J. Anderson, Carol Mankiewicz, Timothy S. McCay, Jennifer L. Schafer et al.
Biological Invasions
Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
article

Earthworm assemblages in the Eastern and Midwestern United States and the legacy of glaciation

Laurel J. Anderson, Carol Mankiewicz, Timothy S. McCay, Jennifer L. Schafer, Sandra Cooke, Mary Beth Kolozsvary, Danielle Garneau, Benjamin J. Dolan, Ezra G. Schwartzberg, Abigail Cahill, Drew A. Scott, Christopher P. Bloch, Kathryn M. Flinn, Jennifer Nesbitt Styrsky, Jeffrey A. Simmons, Kathleen L. Shea, Sara E. Scanga, Kristy Hopfensperger, Nathaniel J. Hains
article en

Abstract

The earthworm fauna of North America consists of a dynamic pool of native and non-native species. History of glaciation during the Pleistocene may strongly affect present earthworm assemblages, but its importance relative to other factors is unclear. We used a standard sampling protocol at 94 sites across 13 states to better understand the factors affecting diversity and abundance of earthworms in the eastern and central United States. We divided our sites into Northeastern Glaciated, Midwestern Glaciated, and Non-glaciated regions. Habitat type, proximity to water and roads, soil type and drainage, and soil pH were measured. A small number of European species was dominant throughout the sampled region. Native earthworms were rare and pheretimoid (“jumping worm”) species were present only at a small portion of our sites. Earthworms were most abundant and diverse in the Midwestern Glaciated region, where non-native earthworm invasion was the most recent, and least common and diverse below the southern limit of glaciation. Soil pH had a subtle positive effect on earthworm abundance and diversity. Community composition differed among regions and habitats. Assemblages also differed between summer and autumn/spring, probably due to seasonal sampling biases. Earthworm communities in previously glaciated areas, and especially in the recently invaded Upper Midwest, may benefit from soil organic matter accumulated during millennia without earthworms since glacial retreat.

Biological InvasionsVol. 28(4)
Utica College (US), University of Findlay (US), Baldwin Wallace University (US), Northern Kentucky University (US), Winthrop University (US), Bridgewater State University (US), University of Lynchburg (US), St. Olaf College (US), Colgate University (US), Adirondack Medical Center (US), Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory (US), Albion College (US), Greensboro College (US), SUNY Plattsburgh (US), Mount St. Mary's University (US), Beloit College (US), Ohio Wesleyan University (US), Siena College (US)
Life in Land
Openalex Percentile: Top 20%
Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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