Biology subjects

Phillips, H. R. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Phillips, H. R. P..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Systematic evidence map of research on life-history traits in native and introduced earthworms

Invasive species constitute one of the most significant threats to biodiversity worldwide, and are responsible for more than $400 billion in losses each year. An organism's life-history strategy, defined by how it allocates resources among growth, survival, and reproduction, plays a central role in determining whether it becomes invasive. While the life-history profiles of aboveground invaders are increasingly well characterised, those of invasive species below ground remain poorly understood. Earthworms are a diverse group of soil invertebrates that can help fill this knowledge gap. Of the ~5,800 earthworm species described to date, nearly 2% are cosmopolitan, meaning they have achieved wide geographic distributions despite limited ability for active dispersal. While life-history traits are likely to contribute to their worldwide distribution, the existing research on earthworm trait variation has not been systematically reviewed. To address this gap, we assessed the taxonomic scope, geographic coverage, and methodologies of studies on earthworm life history traits for species occurring in the US and Brazil, spanning a broad latitudinal range. Our literature search yielded over 8,000 articles across 180 species and revealed that introduced species have received considerably more research attention than native species. Research was concentrated on a few model species, most studies were experimental, and variation in life history traits was most commonly assessed in response to chemical compounds, vermicompost feed type, and environmental factors such as temperature, moisture and soil composition. Variation in adult survival was reported most frequently, followed by adult growth and cocoon production, with the bulk of life history research conducted in India (20%) and China (9%). To better understand the effect invasive earthworm species might have on native fauna, future research on life histories should address taxonomic biases and prioritise detailed study of the life cycles of native species in their natural habitat.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2026

A meta-analysis on the effects of pollutants on the earthworm microbiota

Like for many other organisms, earthworms host a microbiota consisting of bacteria, fungi and other micro-organisms originating from their surrounding environment. In earthworms, these microbes, either associated with the gut, skin, kidney-like nephridia, gizzard or cocoons, aid their hosts with the digestion of organic matter, immune responses against pathogens, and/or detoxification. Unfortunately, pollution is an increasing threat to soil health and soil biodiversity, and numerous articles have characterized both the microbial communities associated with earthworms, as well as the effects of soil pollution on these microbial communities. Here, we aim to synthesize data from across 159 articles to identify consistent global patterns and gaps in the study of earthworms' microbial communities. Additionally, we combined 16S rRNA metabarcoding data from almost 30 articles in a meta-analysis to evaluate the changes in the diversity of earthworm's and surrounding soil's bacterial microbiota after pollutant exposure. Through an evidence map, we clearly showed that most of the earthworm microbiota data came from the Eisenia fetida species reared in laboratory conditions, and only a handful of studies sequenced fungi (ITS) and protists (18S rRNA) in addition to bacteria and archaea (16S rRNA). The scarcity of studies from wild populations, environmental conditions, and the low microbial diversity targets and sources, cannot support a comprehensive view on earthworm's microbial ecology. Nonetheless, results of the meta-analysis indicate that the data did not support the occurrence of significant changes in the microbiota richness and diversity as result of pollution exposure. However, the microbial communities altered their composition, becoming more dissimilar. We suspect the microbiota response to pollution to be host-species specific, but the lack of data severely limited our ability to further elucidate the effect of pollution on earthworm microbiota.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2026

Resurvey of boreal earthworm communities in southern and northern Finland

In northern boreal Europe, the Last Glaciation Maximum resulted in a tabula rasa of earthworm species, post-glacial recolonisation of few peregrine species. Boreal forests represent 11.5% of the Earth's land area, and their cold winters represent the harshest season for earthworms. These biotopes are subject to substantial global changes, notably climate change and land use intensification, which might impact earthworm populations. Yet, no study measuring temporal changes in earthworm population or diversity is known in this biotope. Here, we sampled earthworm communities in two northern and two southern areas in Finland forests. In total, 21 sites were surveyed in 2015 and resurveyed 10 years later in 2025-2026. We aimed at understanding how earthworm diversity and populations changed in the last 10 years, comparing community and species-specific diversity metrics. In ten years, although not significant, earthworm abundance declined (-20%), whereas richness increased (+13%). The cold-tolerant Dendrobaena octaedra decreased, being the only one with a significant change. Temporal community and species dynamics followed a south-north gradient. Southern sites showed a decrease in abundance and D. octaedra populations, with an increase in abundance and occupancy of more heat-tolerant species. Northern sites showed an increase in abundance uniquely due to an increase in D. octaedra populations, but no other species were found there. These changes can be linked to climate changes leading to less rigorous winters in both south and north of Finland, and more rigorous summers in the south, potentially interacting with intense forest management, but could also be attributed to a still ongoing post-glacial recolonisation. These results call for more long-term sampling of earthworm communities in these fragile and rapidly changing environments.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

The applicability of Regional Red List assessments for soil invertebrates: First assessment of five native earthworm species in Canada

Earthworms (Annelida: Clitellata: Crassiclitellata) are prominent members of the soil community, important to many ecosystem functions. Despite this, and like many other soil invertebrates, they are rarely considered in conservation assessments, including the IUCN Red List assessments used to assess species extinction risk. To investigate the applicability of the IUCN Regional Red Listing protocol to soil invertebrates, we assessed the conservation status of five earthworm species known to be native to Canada using this protocol and all available occurrence records. In Canada, no earthworm species have yet been assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Due to the lack of data on population sizes and their trends, all five species were assessed using their Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Criterion B). One species was assessed as Vulnerable, two were assessed in non-threatened categories, and two were assessed as Data Deficient. For the majority, the main threats identified were the continuing loss of potential habitat due to land conversion and resource exploitation, as well as the effects of climate change. Increasing the amount of data, including but not limited to distribution and habitat preferences, would make the assessment process easier and status decisions better supported. By undertaking regional assessments for five native earthworm species in Canada, we show that Regional Red List assessments are feasible for soil invertebrates.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

A cross-scale assessment of productivity-diversity relationships

AimBiodiversity and ecosystem productivity vary across the globe and considerable effort has been made to describe their relationships. Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research has traditionally focused on how experimentally controlled species richness affects net primary productivity (S[->]NPP) at small spatial grains. In contrast, the influence of productivity on richness (NPP[->]S) has been explored at many grains in naturally assembled communities. Mismatches in spatial scale between approaches have fostered debate about the strength and direction of biodiversity-productivity relationships. Here we examine the direction and strength of productivitys influence on diversity (NPP[->]S) and of diversitys influence on productivity (S[->]NPP), and how this varies across spatial grains. Locationcontiguous USA Time period1999 - 2015 Major taxa studiedwoody species (angiosperms and gymnosperms) MethodsUsing data from North American forests at grains from local (672 m2) to coarse spatial units (median area = 35,677 km2), we assess relationships between diversity and productivity using structural equation and random forest models, while accounting for variation in climate, environmental heterogeneity, management, and forest age. ResultsWe show that relationships between S and NPP strengthen with spatial grain. Within each grain, S[->]NPP and NPP[->]S have similar magnitudes, meaning that processes underlying S[->]NPP and NPP[->]S either operate simultaneously, or that one of them is real and the other is an artifact. At all spatial grains, S was one of the weakest predictors of forest productivity, which was largely driven by biomass, temperature, and forest management and age. Main conclusionsWe conclude that spatial grain mediates relationships between biodiversity and productivity in real-world ecosystems and that results supporting predictions from each approach (NPP[->]S and S[->]NPP) serve as an impetus for future studies testing underlying mechanisms. Productivity-diversity relationships emerge at multiple spatial grains, which should widen the focus of national and global policy and research to larger spatial grains.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

Global distribution of earthworm diversity

Soil organisms provide crucial ecosystem services that support human life. However, little is known about their diversity, distribution, and the threats affecting them. Here, we compiled a global dataset of sampled earthworm communities from over 7000 sites in 56 countries to predict patterns in earthworm diversity, abundance, and biomass. We identify the environmental drivers shaping these patterns. Local species richness and abundance typically peaked at higher latitudes, while biomass peaked in the tropics, patterns opposite to those observed in aboveground organisms. Similar to many aboveground taxa, climate variables were more important in shaping earthworm communities than soil properties or habitat cover. These findings highlight that, while the environmental drivers are similar, conservation strategies to conserve aboveground biodiversity might not be appropriate for earthworm diversity, especially in a changing climate.\n\nOne sentence summaryGlobal patterns of earthworm diversity, abundance and biomass are driven by climate but patterns differ from many aboveground taxa.

ecology↗