Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Earthworm invasions in the tropics

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biological Invasions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effects and implications of invasive species in belowground terrestrial ecosystems are not well known in comparison with above-ground terrestrial and marine environments. The study of earthworm invasions in the tropics is limited by a lack of taxonomic knowledge and the potential for loss of species in native habitats due to anthropogenic land use change. Alteration of land use plays a major role in determining the abundance and community structure of earthworms and the establishment of exotic earthworms in areas previously inhabited by worms. Once an exotic species has become established into a new place, site and species characteristics seem to be key factors determining their spread. We reviewed the literature on the distribution and effects of exotic earthworms to understand the interactions of earthworm invasion and land use history in the tropics. Patterns in the abundance, effects and mechanisms of earthworm invasions on ecosystem processes in the tropics are elucidated using Pontoscolex corethrurus as a case study.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alban DH, Berry EC (1994) Effects of earthworm invasion on morphology, carbon and nitrogen of a forest soil. Appl Soil Ecol 1:243–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aplet GH (1990) Alteration of earthworm community biomass by the alien Myrica faya in Haiwai’i. Oecologia 82:414–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ayes-Suárez CM, Otero-López E (1986) La Cueva del Negro. Arqueologia 1:2–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Barros E, Curmi P, Hallaire V, Chauvel A, Lavelle P (2001) The role of macrofauna in the transformation and reversibility of soil structure of an oxisol in the process of forest to pasture conversion. Geoderma 100:193–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharjee F, Chaudhuri PS (2002) Cocoon production, morphology, hatching pattern and fecundity in seven tropical earthworm species: a laboratory-based investigation. J Biosci 27:283–294

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bohlen PJ, Pelletier DM, Groffman PM, Fahey TJ, Fisk MC (2004) Influence of earthworm invasion on redistribution and retention of soil carbon and nitrogen in northern temperate forests. Ecosystems 7:13–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chauvel A, Grimaldi M, Barros E, Blanchart E, Desjardins T, Sarrazin M, Lavelle P (1999) Pasture damage by an Amazonian earthworm. Nature 398:32–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colautti RI, Ricciardi A, Grigorovich IA, MacIsaac HJ (2004) Is invasion success explained by the enemy release hypothesis? Ecol Lett 7:721–733

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Decaëns T, Jiménez JJ, Barros E, Chauvel A, Blanchart E, Fragoso C, Lavelle P (2004) Soil macrofaunal communities in permanent pastures derived from tropical forest or savanna. Agric Ecosyst Environ 103:301–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Domínguez-Cristóbal CM (2000) Panorama histórico forestal de Puerto Rico. Editorial Cultural Inc., Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, 680 pp

  • Fragoso C, James C, Borges S (1995) Native earthworms of the North Neotropical Region: current status and controversies. In: Hendrix PF (ed) Earthworm ecology and biogeography in North America. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton FL, pp 67–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Fragoso C, Kanyonyo J, Moreno A, Senapati BK, Blanchart E, Rodríguez C (1999) A survey of tropical earthworms: taxonomy, biogeography and environmental plasticity. In: Lavelle P, Brussaard L, Hendrix P (eds) Earthworm management in tropical agroecosystems. CABI Publishing, New York, pp 1–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Fragoso C, Lavelle P (1992) Earthworm communities of tropical rain forest. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 24:1397–1408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fragoso C, Lozano N (1992) Resource allocation strategies imposed by caudal amputation and soil moisture in the tropical earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus. Soil Biol Biochem 24:1237–1240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis JK and Liogier HA (1991) Naturalized exotic tree species in Puerto Rico. General technical report, Southern Forest Experiment Station, USDA Forest Service, New Orleans

  • García JA, Fragoso C (2002) Growth, reproduction and activity of earthworms in degraded and amended tropical open mined soils: laboratory assays. Appl Soil Ecol 20:43–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gates GE (1972) Burmese earthworms. An introduction to the systematics and biology of megadrile oligochaetes with special reference to southeast Asia. Trans Am Philos Soc 62:1–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gómez-Acevedo L, Ballesteros-Gaibrois M (1980) Vida y cultura precolombianas de Puerto Rico. Editorial Cultural Inc., Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, 132 pp

  • González G (2002) Soil organisms and litter decomposition. In: Ambasht RS, Ambasht NK (eds) Modern trends in applied terrestrial ecology. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, New York, pp 315–329

    Google Scholar 

  • González G, Seastedt TR (2001) Soil fauna and plant litter decomposition in tropical and subalpine forests. Ecology 82:955–964

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • González G, Zou X (1999) Earthworm influence on N availability and the growth of Cecropia schreberiana in tropical pasture and forest soils. Pedobiologia 43:824–829

    Google Scholar 

  • González G, Zou X, Borges S (1996) Earthworm abundance and species composition in abandoned tropical croplands: comparison of tree plantations and secondary forests. Pedobiologia 40:385–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Gundale MJ (2002) Influence of exotic earthworms on the soil organic horizon and the rare fern Botrychium mormo. Conserv Biol 16:1555–1561

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hager T, Treple L (2003) Predicting biological invasions. Biol Invasions 5:313–321

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendrix PF (1995) Earthworm ecology and biogeography in North America. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, pp 244

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendrix PF, Bohlen PJ (2002) Exotic earthworm invasions in North America: ecological and policy implications. BioScience 52:801–811

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hendrix PF, Lachnicht SL, Callaham MA Jr, Zou XM (1999) Stable Isotopic Studies of Earthworm Feeding Ecology in Tropical Ecosystems of Puerto Rico. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrometry 13:1295–1299

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henrot J, Brussard L (1997) Abundance, casting activity, and cast quality of earthworms in an acid Ultisol under alley-cropping in the humid tropics. Appl Soil Ecol 6:169–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • James S (1998) Earthworms and earth history. In: Edwards CA (ed) Earthworm ecology. St. Lucie Press, Florida, pp 3–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalisz PJ (1993) Native and exotic earthworms in deciduous forest soils of Eastern North America. Biological Pollution: the control and impact of invasive exotic species. Proceedings of a Symposium held at the University Place Conference Center, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, October 25 & 26, 1991, pp 93–100

  • Kalisz PJ, Wood HB (1995) Native and exotic earthworms in wildland ecosystems. In: Hendrix PF (ed) Earthworm ecology and biogeography in North America. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton FL, pp 117–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapied E, Lavelle P (2003) The peregrine earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus in the east coast of Costa Rica. Pedobiologia 47:471–474

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavelle P, Brussaard L, Hendrix P (1999) Earthworm management in tropical agroecosystems. CABI Publishing, New York, pp 300

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavelle P, Lapied E (2003) Endangered earthworms of Amazonia: an homage to Gilberto Righi. Pedobiologia 47:419–417

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavelle P, Pashanasi B (1989) Soil macrofauna and land management in Peruvian Amazonia. Pedobiologia 33:283–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee KE (1985) Earthworms, their ecology and relationships with soils and land use. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu ZG, Zou XM (2002) Exotic earthworms accelerate plant litter decomposition in a Puerto Rican pasture and a wet forest. Ecol Appl 12:1406–1417

    Google Scholar 

  • Loope LL, Hamann O, Stone CP (1988) Comparative conservation biology of oceanic archipelagoes. BioScience 38:272–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura M (1990) How to identify Hawaiian earthworms. No. 11, Chuo University Research Notes

  • Pashanasi B, Melendez G, Szott L, Lavelle P (1992) Effect of inoculation with the endogeic earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae) on N availability, soil microbial biomass and the growth of three tropical fruit tree seedlings in a pot experiment. Soil Biol Biochem 24:1655–1659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peck SB (1974) The invertebrate fauna of tropical American Caves Part 2 Puerto-Rico an ecological and zoo geographic analysis. Biotropica 6:14–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pianka ER (1970) On r and K-selection. Am Nat 104:459–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds J (1994) Earthworms of the world. Global Biodiv 4:11–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez CA, Borges S, Martínez MA, Fragoso C, James S, González G (2006) Estado actual del conocimiento taxonómico y ecológico de las lombrices de tierra en las islas caribeñas. In: Brown G (ed) Proceedings of the Latin-American symposium of earthworm ecology and taxonomy in Londrina, Brazil

  • Römbke J, Meller M, García M (1999) Earthworm densities in central Amazonian primary and secondary forests and a polyculture forestry plantation. Pedobiologia 43:518–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Righi G (1984) Pontoscolex (Oligochaeta, Glossoscolecidae), a new evaluation. Stud Neotropical Fauna Environ 19:159–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-De León Y, Zou X (2003) Plant influences on native and exotic earthworms during secondary succession in old tropical pastures. Pedobiologia 48:215–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-De León Y, Zou X, Borges S, Ruan H (2003) Recovery of native earthworms in abandoned tropical pastures. Conserv Biol 17:999–1006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson J (1930) The oligochaeta. Clarendon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Talavera JA (1990) Claves de identificación de las lombrices de tierra (Annelida: Oligochaeta) de Canarias. Vieraea 18:113–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek PM, Walker LR, Whiteaker LD, Mueller-Dombois D, Matson PA (1987) Biological invasion by Myrica faya alters ecosystem development in Hawaii. Science 238:802–804

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zou X (1993) Species effects on earthworm density in tropical tree plantations in Hawaii. Biol Fertility Soils 15:35–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zou X and González G (1997) Changes in earthworm density and community structure during secondary succession in abandoned tropical pastures. Soil Biol Biochem 29:627–629

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou X, González G (2001) Earthworms in tropical tree plantations: effects of management and relations with soil carbon and nutrient use efficiency. In: Reddy MV (ed) Management of tropical plantation forests and their soil litter system. Oxford University Press, New Delhi India, pp 283–295

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Maria M. Rivera and the IITF Library Staff, especially Jorge Morales for help with references. Carlos M. Domínguez-Cristóbal provided invaluable historical assistance. Ariel E. Lugo shared good insights towards the conceptual model. William A. Gould, Ariel E. Lugo, Timothy R. Seastedt and two anonymous reviewers kindly provided comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. Grant DEB-0218039 from the National Science Foundation to the Institute of Tropical Ecosystem Studies, University of Puerto Rico, and the USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry as part of the Long-Term Ecological Research Program in the Luquillo Experimental Forest provided some financial support during the writing of this manuscript. Additional support was provided by the Forest Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and the University of Puerto Rico.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, 1201 Ceiba Street, Río Piedras, PR, 00926-1119, USA

    Grizelle González

  2. Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Ching Yu Huang

  3. Institute for Tropical Ecosystem Studies, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA

    Xiaoming Zou

  4. Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba

    Carlos Rodríguez

Authors
  1. Grizelle González
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ching Yu Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xiaoming Zou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Carlos Rodríguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Grizelle González.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

González, G., Huang, C.Y., Zou, X. et al. Earthworm invasions in the tropics. Biol Invasions 8, 1247–1256 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-006-9023-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-006-9023-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation