Non-native earthworms and their effects on mid-Atlantic forest soils – Jan. 17 – WLS 2021

Earthworms are ecosystem engineers that influence essentially all physical, chemical and biological soil properties. In the mid-Atlantic region, non-native earthworms of European origin colonized the secondary forests hundreds of years ago. Currently, a ‘second wave’ earthworm invasion is taking place by another group of earthworms, commonly known as “jumping worms.” Szlavecz will present an overview of the history of earthworm invasion, the natural history of native and non-native earthworms and the profound ecological impact invasive earthworms have on the soil ecosystem.

Katalin Szkavecz, Ph.D., is a research professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Her research interest is the soil ecosystem, particularly soil biodiversity, and the role of biota in soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. Her research focuses on human-modified landscapes, such as secondary forests, crop fields and the urban environment. Szlavecz earned her Ph.D. at Eotvos University, Hungary. She is the co-principal investigator of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, a research associate at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and co-founder of GLUSEEN (Global Urban Soil Ecology and Education Network). At JHU, she teaches courses on global environmental change, general ecology and soil ecology.