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Winter gifts for river ecosystems: a massive supply of earthworms in early winter
  • RYO FUTAMURA,
  • Chiharu Furusawa,
  • Hisanori Okamiya
RYO FUTAMURA
Hokkaido University

Corresponding Author:rfutamurattg@gmail.com

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Chiharu Furusawa
Hokkaido University
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Hisanori Okamiya
Hokkaido Daigaku
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Abstract

Terrestrial resource pulses can significantly affect the community dynamics of freshwater ecosystems. Previously, its effect on the river community is considered to be stronger in summer, while weaker in winter when terrestrial invertebrates are less abundant. The movement of the terrestrial earthworms are triggered in winter, so they may be supplied to winter rivers as terrestrial resource pulse, but little is known about it. Here, we report that the massive numbers of the terrestrial earthworms were supplied intensively to an upstream of the small river in early winter. In particular, we found large numbers of Megascolecidae earthworms were supplied in an upstream of the small river in Northern Japan. Furthermore, we observed that supplied earthworms were consumed by salmonid fish species (masu salmon, white spotted char and rainbow trout) and aquatic invertebrates (gammarid amphipod, planarian flatworm and stonefly larvae). These findings suggests that the terrestrial earthworms may play a key role in ecosystem functioning in winter when severe and other resources are scarce.
04 Oct 2022Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
05 Oct 2022Submission Checks Completed
05 Oct 2022Assigned to Editor
06 Oct 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
27 Oct 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
09 Nov 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
19 Nov 20221st Revision Received
21 Nov 2022Submission Checks Completed
21 Nov 2022Assigned to Editor
21 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
22 Nov 2022Editorial Decision: Accept
Dec 2022Published in Ecology and Evolution volume 12 issue 12. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9620