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Data from: Invasion dynamics of pheretimoid earthworms across an urban-rural gradient in southern Wisconsin, USA

Herrick, Bradley1; Tanzer, Danielle1; Drake, David1

Published Oct 26, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ht76hds09

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Abstract

Non-native, invasive earthworms are ecosystem engineers with consequences to native biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Invasive Lumbricidae earthworms are ubiquitous in North America and are well studied. However, pheretimoid earthworms of the genera Amynthas and Metaphire (commonly referred to as jumping worms) are leading a second wave of co-invasion throughout North America. Their association with organic amendments including compost, mulch and soil, suggest that these products are vehicles for the spread of jumping worms, especially in urban areas. However, little is known about their distribution, abundance, and biomass across urban landcovers over time, nor if their co-occurrence with European Lumbricidae earthworms in urban landcover changes. In addition, little is known about what factors predict the presence, density and biomass of jumping worms across urban and rural land covers. In 2022, we re-surveyed five urban landcover types (forest, restored native grassland, open space such as park turf grass, residential garden, residential lawn) in Madison, WI that had been surveyed in 2017. We also surveyed new sites in rural areas outside of Madison, encompassing the same land covers as well as forest/agriculture edges. Seven municipal yard waste sites that were approximately on the border of the urban-rural interface were also added in 2022. In 2022, jumping worms were found in all land cover types except grasslands, with residential lawns having the greatest increase. Jumping worms decreased marginally between years, with high variation in forests, residential gardens, and residential lawns. Similar to 2017, jumping worms and European earthworms rarely co-occurred regardless of urban land cover type. At rural sites, only 13 jumping worm individuals were counted in two forests and one residential garden, suggesting that they have not yet been introduced to most of these rural land cover types. Regardless of land cover type, jumping worms were more likely to be found at greater densities near paved roads and without juvenile Lumbricus. While jumping worm biomass varied among sites and land cover types, it was generally greater in urban forests relative to gardens and closer to residential areas without juvenile Lumbricus. Our results underscore the importance of long-term, local-scale monitoring of jumping worms to elucidate drivers of population dynamics for effective land management.