Unexpected earthworm effects on forest understory plants

BMC Ecology

Table 1 Family, life form, age, predicted response to L. terrestris presence and MANOVA results on plant size measures according to earthworm treatment of 14 native plant species planted in experimental mesocosms

Species	Abbreviation	Family	Life form	Seedling age	Predicted response	MANOVA response^a	df	F^c	P
Agrimonia gryposepala Wallr	Agr	Rosaceae	Forb	7 m	----	Belowground, aboveground biomass, height	3,32	0.29	0.83
Agrostis hyemalis (Walter) BSP	Ahy	Graminae	Grass	2 m	Positive¹
Allium tricoccum Aiton	Atr	Alliaceae	Forb	9 m	Positive^2,3
Aristolochia serpentaria L.	Ase	Aristolochiaceae	Forb	1 m	----	Belowground, aboveground biomass, height, # of leaves^b	4,28	0.25	0.90
Carex radiata (Wahlenb.) Small.	Cra	Cyperaceae	Sedge	1 m	Positive^3,4
Carex retroflexa Muhl. ex Willd.	Cre	Cyperaceae	Sedge	1 m	Positive^3,4
Elymus hystrix L.	Ehy	Graminae	Grass	7 m	Positive¹
Eurybia divaricata L.	Edi	Asteraceae	Forb	7 m	----
Phryma leptostachya L.	Ple	Phyrmaceae	Forb	7 m	----	Belowground, aboveground biomass, height	3,25	0.72	0.54
Quercus prinus L.	Qpr	Fagaceae	Tree	3 m	Negative^4,5	Belowground, aboveground biomass, height, # of leaves^b	4,31	0.68	0.57
Quercus rubra L.	Qru	Fagaceae	Tree	1wk	Negative^4,5	Belowground, aboveground biomass, height, # of leaves^b	4,31	0.94	0.43
Ranunculus recurvatus Poir.	Rre	Ranunculaceae	Forb	7 m	----
Tiarella cordifolia L.	Tco	Saxifragaceae	Forb	7 m	----
Viburnum lantanoides Michx.	Vla	Adoxaceae	Tree	7 m	----	Belowground, aboveground biomass, height	3,31	1.45	0.25

Abbreviations: m month, wk week. ^aMANOVA was run only for plant species for which we measured multiple size variables. ^bVariable was log-transformed. ^cF-values were approximated from Pillai–Bartlett statistic; ¹[14]; ²[40]; ³[3]; ⁴[41]; ⁵[48].

ISSN: 1472-6785