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Lumbricus terrestris Prefers to Consume Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) Seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Patricia M. Quackenbush ,
RaeLynn A. Butler ,
Nancy C. Emery ,
Michael A. Jenkins ,
Eileen J. Kladivko  and
Kevin D Gibson
Patricia M. Quackenbush
Affiliation:
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
RaeLynn A. Butler
Affiliation:
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
Nancy C. Emery
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences and Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
Michael A. Jenkins
Affiliation:
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
Eileen J. Kladivko
Affiliation:
Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
Kevin D Gibson*
Affiliation:
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: kgibson@purdue.edu
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Abstract

Temperate and boreal forests in Canada and the northeastern United States have been invaded by several exotic species, including European earthworms (family Lumbricidae) and garlic mustard. Earthworms and garlic mustard co-occur and are both known to adversely impact some native plant species. However, relatively little is known about potential interactions between these two invaders. In a series of growth chamber experiments, we determined the palatability of garlic mustard and six native herbaceous forest species (shooting star, columbine, wild geranium, sweet cicely, butterfly milkweed, and yellow jewelweed) to the common nightcrawler. We also assessed the ability of the common nightcrawler to bury and digest garlic mustard and wild geranium. When offered seeds from garlic mustard and a native plant species, the earthworms ingested more garlic mustard seeds than seeds from four of the six native species. In a mesocosm experiment, the common nightcrawlers apparently digested 72 and 27% of garlic mustard and wild geranium seeds, respectively, that were placed on the soil surface. No seeds were observed on the soil surface at the end of the experiment but the majority of recovered seeds for both species were found within the top 10 cm (3.94 in). More seeds were recovered in 0- to 10-cm and 31- to 40-cm sections for wild geranium than for garlic mustard. No difference in seed recovery was detected at the other depths. Garlic mustard seed is readily consumed by common nightcrawlers and appears to be preferred over some native plant species suggesting that common nightcrawlers may reduce the size of the garlic mustard seed bank.

Keywords

Common nightcrawler, Lumbricus terrestris L.garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara & Grande ALAPEcolumbine, Aquilegia canadensis L.butterfly milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa L. ASCTUcommon shooting star, Dodecatheon meadia L.wild geranium, Geranium maculata L.yellow jewelweed, Impatiens pallida Nuttsweet cicely, Osmorhiza claytonia (Michx.) C.B. ClarkeNative plantsinvasive plantsseed predationinvasive earthwormforestseed burial
Type
Research Article
Information
Invasive Plant Science and Management , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , June 2012 , pp. 148 - 154
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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