Global meta-analysis of river bacterial communities and responses to human activities

Earthworm cast microbiomes differ across soil types in northern forests

The presence of non-native Asian earthworms in northeastern North America has raised concerns in the last decades following the observation of how intensely they can disturb the soil and initiate cascading effects in invaded areas. A recent study showed that the known northern distribution of these earthworms in northeastern North America reached the southern parts of the province of Ontario (Canada) as well as the northeastern states in the U.S.A. that border the province of Québec (Canada). In 2021, more specimens were found in southern Ontario and in the province of New Brunswick. Here we report the first record of a non-native Asian earthworm ( Amynthas tokioensis) in the province of Québec, which confirms the progression of the invasive Asian earthworms in Canada.

First record of the invasive Asian earthworm Amynthas tokioensis (Beddard, 1892) in the province of Québec, Canada

. Earthworm invasion in North American forests has the potential to greatly impact soil microbial communities by altering soil physicochemical properties, including structure, pH, nutrient availability, and soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics. While most research on the topic has been carried out in northern temperate forests, little is known on the impact of invasive earthworms on soil microbial communities in the boreal forest, a region characterized by a slower decay of organic 15 matter (OM). Earthworm activities can increase OM mineralization, altering nutrient cycling and biological activity in a biome where low carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability is typically limiting microbial and plant growth. Here, we characterized and compared microbial communities of earthworm-invaded and non-invaded soils in previously described sites across three major soil types found in the Canadian boreal forest using a space-for-time approach. Microbial communities of forest floors and surface mineral soils were characterized using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and metabarcoding of the 16S 20 rRNA gene, for bacteria and archaea, and ITS2 region for fungi. In forest floors, the effects of earthworm invasion were minor. In mineral soil horizons, earthworm invasion was associated with higher fungal biomass and greater relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Oligotrophic bacteria (Acidobacteriota and Chloroflexi) were less abundant in invaded mineral soils, where Gram(+):Gram(

Earthworm-invaded boreal forest soils harbour distinct microbial communities

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Earthworm-invaded boreal forest soils harbour distinct microbial communities