Eisenoides lonnbergi is one of just a few native earthworm species known from north of the most recent glacial maximum and has been found most commonly in saturated soils. We sampled earthworms from wetlands in Upstate New York and compiled published and unpublished records of E. lonnbergi to better describe the distribution and habitat associations of this species in the Northeast. We found E. lonnbergi at 14 of 22 sampled sites, including 8 of 14 riparian areas and 6 of 8 wetlands of other types (bogs, fens, and swamps). Soil pH at colonized sites varied from 3.4 to 8.5. At the 3 most acidic sites, E. lonnbergi was the only species detected by our sampling. Published records with habitat data also support an association between E. lonnbergi and wetland habitats of variable pH, both above and below the most recent glacial maximum. Eisenoides lonnbergi is strongly associated with wetlands, including some habitats, such as acidic bogs, in which it may be the only earthworm present. Land managers and conservation biologists should consider Eisenoides lonnbergi along with other native species sensitive to the loss of wetlands in the Northeast.
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1 September 2017
Distribution and Habitat of the Endemic Earthworm Eisenoides lonnbergi (Michaelsen) in the Northeastern United States
Timothy S. McCay,
Rebecca A. Pinder,
Eric Alvarado,
Watson C. Hanson
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Northeastern Naturalist
Vol. 24 • No. 3
September 2017
Vol. 24 • No. 3
September 2017