Date of Award

1-1-2013

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Content Description

1 online resource (xiv, 87 pages) : illustrations (some color)

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

George Robinson

Committee Members

Peter K Ducey, Peter Groffman, Thomas Caraco

Keywords

earthworm, nitrogen, predator prey, riparian, salamander, Earthworms, Riparian ecology, Riparian areas, Nitrogen cycle

Subject Categories

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Abstract

Research on earthworm ecology in North America has shifted from a focus on agricultural systems to investigations of their impacts on forested ecosystems. Many of the earthworms (family Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, and Sparganophilidae) found so far appear to be groups of exotic species, many recently arrived from Eurasia. My preliminary research established their presence along forested headwater stream banks, previously assumed to be earthworm-free zones. These riparian areas are integral landscape elements that influence many downstream processes. This dissertation is the first to examine four aspects of earthworm ecology in riparian zones: species composition and distributions; community structure of earthworm assemblages; food web interactions; and their influence on nutrient cycling.

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