The distribution and establishment of non-native earthworm populations and their impact on organic layer thickness in the Acadian Forest

摘要: The distribution and impacts of non-native earthworms are poorly documented in Atlantic Canada meaning that we have limited knowledge about the relationship between earthworms and forest properties. To address this knowledge gap, we surveyed earthworms and sampled the soil organic layer in 41 forest stands located in New Brunswick to investigate their relationship with forest properties and impact on organic layer thickness and carbon content. We found earthworms at 39 % of the sites that we surveyed. Earthworms were more common in hardwood stands than softwood stands, at low elevations, and near current or historical human activity. Sites with earthworms had thinner organic layers and less carbon in the soil organic layer. A simple two-pool Lotka-Volterra model described the relationship between earthworm abundance and organic layer carbon well. The model predicted that earthworm invasions …