Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Forest Soil Invaders.

Many studies of invasive species focus on the resultant change in ecological interactions due to addition/loss from the trophic structure and resulting change in energy flow. Also of value are studies of environment-organism interactions. A 60 day microcosm study was undertaken to examine the effects of earthworm invasion on greenhouse gas production by forest floor/soils. Two epi-endogeic invasive earthworm species Lumbricus rubellus and Amynthas agrestis were selected for study. Gas flux measurements over 11 dates indicate both worm species increase CO₂ and N₂O emitted from microcosm system. These results coincide with a decrease in total system carbon in the presence of both worm species, though there is an increase in the ratio of soil carbon to floor carbon. These results support the observation that small organisms can have a substantial impact when habitual behavior is continued en masse.