Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci for the invasive plant Cytisus scoparius

Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a serious weed of natural and pastoral ecosystems and is invasive in many countries worldwide. Eight polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed and characterized for this species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from five to 23. The range of observed heterozygosity was between 0.207 and 0.928. These microsatellite markers will be useful tools for studies of population genetics in the native and invasive range of this species.     

Molecular diversity of rhizobia nodulating the invasive legume Cytisus scoparius in Australia

AIMS: To contribute to the understanding of Cytisus scoparius success at invading and establishing itself in Australia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Root-nodule bacteria isolated from C. scoparius, growing on five different sites and originally introduced to Australia, were compared with isolates from indigenous plants growing in France and isolates from native legumes growing on the same Australian sites as C. scoparius. Small-subunit rDNA from 251 isolates were analysed by PCR-RFLP and representatives from different genospecies were selected for sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a great diversity of lineages belonging to Bradyrhizobium, with one genospecies being specific for Cytisus both in Australia and in France, Rhizobium and Mesorhizobium and one falling outside the described genera of legume-nodulating bacteria. Principal component analysis showed that the Cytisus Australian rhizobial communities are more similar to each other than to their co-occurring native partners. CONCLUSIONS: Early established rhizobial symbionts may have an increased probability to contribute inoculum for the development of further nodules. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is a first report comparing rhizobia nodulating C. scoparius in its native and exotic environments. Cytisus scoparius symbionts were identified outside the Bradyrhizobium genus and a new lineage of legume-nodulating bacteria was identified.     

Demographic changes and the development of competition in a native Australian eucalypt forest invaded by exotic pines

Data from the second half of a 14-year study of a eucalypt dry sclerophyll forest invaded by Pinus radiata D. Don shows further progress in the development of a mixed eucalypt-pine stand. Earlier (Chilvers and Burdon 1983) it was clear that pines invading from an adjacent commercial plantation were starting to contribute their own progeny to the mixed stand. Initially the recruitment of established pines (> 1 m high) from these seedlings was very slow. However, since 1984, increasing numbers of seedlings have survived beyond their first year, suggesting the possibility of another wave of successful establishment in the near future. The established fraction of the pine population continued to grow rapidly and incurred no mortality. Many of these plants have now emerged through the top of the eucalypt canopy. In contrast, both juvenile and adult eucalypt numbers continued to decline. Despite these demographic and visual changes, comparative analysis of the growth of established pines over two consecutive 7-year periods (1974–1981; 1981–1988) showed that competition between neighbouring plants, especially pines, is beginning to affect individual growth rates. Growth rates of pines having other pines as nearest neighbours declined 40% between 1974–1981 and 1981–1988, while that of pines with eucalypts as nearest neighbours fell by 28%. In pine-pine nearest neighbour (NN) pairs, growth rates were significantly affected by the size (diameter) of the nearest neighbour. In pine-eucalypt NN pairs growth rates of the pines were not affected by the size of the eucalypt, but these were significantly negatively correlated with the inverse of the distance to the eucalypt. More broad-based assessment of 43 pines showed a significant relationship between their growth rates and the summed competitive effect of other pines within a 5-m radius. No such relationship was found between growth rate and the summed competitive effect of eucalypts in the 5-m zone.     

The effects of nitrate loading on the invasive macrophyte Hydrilla verticillata and two common, native macrophytes in Florida

Rising nitrate concentrations in the water column and the spread of invasive, non-native macrophytes are two major threats to Florida's oligotrophic, freshwater ecosystems. We used a replicated mesocosm experiment to test the effects of elevated nitrate concentrations in the water on the growth of the invasive macrophyte Hydrilla verticillata and two common, native submerged macrophytes Vallisneria americana and Sagittaria kurziana. Results from this study indicate that nitrate concentrations of 1.0 mg L⁻¹ NO₃-N in the water increased the final dry-weight biomass of H. verticillata by 2.75 times, while having no statistical effect on the growth of the two native species. Additionally, H. verticillata grew at a faster rate than the two native species in the low nitrate treatments accounting for 82% of the total biomass, indicating that it may have the capacity to invade relatively pristine communities. In waters where nitrate concentrations continue to rise, the cost of control efforts for H. verticillata may substantially increase in the future.     

Extensive contiguous north–south range expansion of the original population of an invasive lizard in Florida

Florida has one of the two worst non-indigenous invasive species problems in the United States, and all such species are considered by statute to be a potential ecological problem. Unfortunately, little information is available about most of Florida's invasive species. Here, we provide information on range expansion of a population of one of the lesser-known species. The Palm Beach County, Florida, population of the northern curly-tailed lizard, Leiocephalus carinatus armouri, was examined for north–south expansion of its previously documented range. Observations were conducted as contiguous expansion outward from the previously known range. We found a substantial contiguous range expansion by a minimum of 46.3 km to the south and 34.1 km to the north. This species appears to be closely associated with coastal habitat degradation in the form of human infrastructure, especially ageing pavement, sea walls, buildings, and bridge bases.     

Impacts of a native parasitic plant on an introduced and a native host species: implications for the control of an invasive weed

Background and Aims: While invasive species may escape from natural enemies in thenew range, the establishment of novel biotic interactions withspecies native to the invaded range can determine their success.Biological control of plant populations can be achieved by manipulationof a species' enemies in the invaded range. Interactions weretherefore investigated between a native parasitic plant andan invasive legume in Mediterranean-type woodlands of SouthAustralia. Methods: The effects of the native stem parasite, Cassytha pubescens,on the introduced host, Cytisus scoparius, and a co-occurringnative host, Leptospermum myrsinoides, were compared. The hypothesisthat the parasitic plant would have a greater impact on theintroduced host than the native host was tested. In a fieldstudy, photosynthesis, growth and survival of hosts and parasitewere examined. Key Results: As predicted, Cassytha had greater impacts on the introducedhost than the native host. Dead Cytisus were associated withdense Cassytha infections but mortality of Leptospermum wasnot correlated with parasite infection. Cassytha infection reducedthe photosynthetic rates of both hosts. Infected Cytisus showedslower recovery of photosystem II efficiency, lower transpirationrates and reduced photosynthetic biomass in comparison withuninfected plants. Parasite photosynthetic rates and growthrates were higher when growing on the introduced host Cytisus,than on Leptospermum. Conclusions: Infection by a native parasitic plant had strong negative effectson the physiology and above-ground biomass allocation of anintroduced species and was correlated with increased plant mortality.The greater impact of the parasite on the introduced host maybe due to either the greater resources that this host providesor increased resistance to infection by the native host. Thisdisparity of effects between introduced host and native hostindicates the potential for Cassytha to be exploited as a controltool.     

Abiotic constraints on the competitive ability of exotic and native grasses in a Pacific Northwest prairie

In prairie ecosystems, abiotic constraints on competition can structure plant communities; however, the extent to which competition between native and exotic plant species is constrained by environmental factors is still debated. The objective of our study was to use paired field and greenhouse experiments to evaluate the competitive dynamics between two native (Danthonia californica and Deschampsia cespitosa) and two exotic (Schedonorus arundinaceus and Lolium multiflorum) grass species under varying nutrient and moisture conditions in an upland prairie in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. We hypothesized the two invasive, exotic grasses would be more competitive under high-nutrient, moderate-moisture conditions, resulting in the displacement of native grasses from these environments. In the field, the experimental reduction of competition resulted in shorter, wider plants, but only the annual grass, Lolium multiflorum, produced more aboveground biomass when competition was reduced. In the greenhouse, the two exotic grasses produced more total biomass than the two native grasses. Competitive hierarchies were influenced by nutrient and/or moisture treatments for the two exotic grasses, but not for the two native grasses. L. multiflorum dominated competitive interactions with all other grasses across treatments. In general, S. arundinaceus dominated when in competition with native grasses, and D. cespitosa produced the most biomass in monoculture or under interspecific competition with the other native grass, D. californica. D. californica, D. cespitosa, and S. arundinaceus all produced more biomass in high-moisture, high-nutrient environments, and D. cespitosa, L. multiflorum, and S. arundinaceus allocated more biomass belowground in the low nutrient treatment. Taken together, these experiments suggest the competitive superiority of the exotic grasses, especially L. multiflorum, but, contrary to our hypothesis, the native grasses were not preferentially excluded from nutrient-rich, moderately wet environments. Laurel Pfeifer-Meister and Esther M. Cole contributed equally to this work.     

Seed banks of invasive Australian Acacia species in South Africa: Role in invasiveness and options for management

Despite impressive efforts at clearing stands of invasive Australian Acacia species in South Africa, insufficient attention has been given to understanding the role of seed banks in the invasiveness and long-term persistence of populations. We review information on seeds of these species, considering seed production, seed rain, and the dynamics of seeds in three layers: leaf litter, and upper and lower seed banks in the soil. Many factors affect the accumulation and susceptibility to destruction of seed banks and thus the opportunities for intervention to reduce seed numbers for each of these components. Reduction of seed banks is crucial for the overall success of the multi-million dollar management initiatives against these species. Classical biological control of buds, flower and young pods has reduced the seed production of many Australian acacias in South Africa. Fire can be applied to reduce seed numbers in the leaf litter and upper seed bank in some cases, although there are serious problems associated with high fire intensities in dense acacia stands. Other options, e.g. soil inversion and solarisation, exist to exercise limited reduction of seed numbers in some situations. There is little prospect of meaningful reduction of seed numbers in the lower seed bank. Preventing the accumulation of seed banks by limiting seed production through biological control is by far the most effective means, and in almost all cases the only practical means, of reducing seed numbers. This must be an integral part of management strategies. Several invasive Australian acacias are already under effective biological control, and further work to identify additional potential agents for all the currently invasive species and potentially invasive alien species is the top priority for improving the efficiency of management programmes.     

Growth, biomass allocation and photosynthesis of invasive and native Hawaiian rainforest species

Growth, biomass allocation, and photosynthetic characteristics of seedlings of five invasive non-indigenous and four native species grown under different light regimes were studied to help explain the success of invasive species in Hawaiian rainforests. Plants were grown under three greenhouse light levels representative of those found in the center and edge of gaps and in the understory of Hawaiian rainforests, and under an additional treatment with unaltered shade. Relative growth rates (RGRs) of invasive species grown in sun and partial shade were significantly higher than those for native species, averaging 0.25 and 0.17 g g⁻¹ week⁻¹, respectively, while native species averaged only 0.09 and 0.06 g g⁻¹ week⁻¹, respectively. The RGR of invasive species under the shade treatment was 40% higher than that of native species. Leaf area ratios (LARs) of sun and partial-shade-grown invasive and native species were similar but the LAR of invasive species in the shade was, on average, 20% higher than that of native species. There were no differences between invasive and native species in biomass allocation to shoots and roots, or in leaf mass per area across light environments. Light-saturated photosynthetic rates (Pmax) were higher for invasive species than for native species in all light treatments. Pmax of invasive species grown in the sun treatment, for example, ranged from 5.5 to 11.9 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ as compared with 3.0−4.5 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ for native species grown under similar light conditions. The slope of the linear relationship between Pmax and dark respiration was steeper for invasive than for native species, indicating that invasive species assimilate more CO₂ at a lower respiratory cost than native species. These results suggest that the invasive species may have higher growth rates than the native species as a consequence of higher photosynthetic capacities under sun and partial shade, lower dark respiration under all light treatments, and higher LARs when growing under shade conditions. Overall, invasive species appear to be better suited than native species to capturing and utilizing light resources, particularly in high-light environments such as those characterized by relatively high levels of disturbance. Received: 30 December 1997 / Accepted: 1 September 1998     

Environmental tolerance of an invasive riparian tree and its potential for continued spread in the southwestern US

Questions: Exotic plant invasion may be aided by facilitation and broad tolerance of environmental conditions, yet these processes are poorly understood in species‐rich ecosystems such as riparian zones. In the southwestern United States (US) two plant species have invaded riparian zones: tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima, T. chinensis, and their hybrids) and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia). We addressed the following questions: (1) is Russian olive able to tolerate drier and shadier conditions than cottonwood and tamarisk? (2) Can tamarisk and cottonwood facilitate Russian olive invasion? Location: Arid riparian zones, southwestern US. Methods: We analyzed riparian tree seedling requirements in a controlled experiment, performed empirical field studies, and analyzed stable oxygen isotopes to determine the water sources used by Russian olive. Results: Russian olive survival was significantly higher in dense shade and low moisture conditions than tamarisk and cottonwood. Field observations indicated Russian olive established where flooding cannot occur, and under dense canopies of tamarisk, cottonwood, and Russian olive. Tamarisk and native riparian plant species seedlings cannot establish in these dry, shaded habitats. Russian olive can rely on upper soil water until 15 years of age, before utilizing groundwater. Conclusions: We demonstrate that even though there is little evidence of facilitation by cottonwood and tamarisk, Russian olive is able to tolerate dense shade and low moisture conditions better than tamarisk and cottonwood. There is great potential for continued spread of Russian olive throughout the southwestern US because large areas of suitable habitat exist that are not yet inhabited by this species.     

Biomass allocation,growth, and photosynthesis of genotypes from native and introduced ranges of the tropical shrub<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Clidemia hirta</Emphasis>

We tested the hypothesis that the tropical shrub Clidemia hirta appears more shade tolerant and is more abundant in its introduced than native range because of genetic differences in resource acquisition, allocation, and phenotypic plasticity between native and introduced genotypes. We examined growth, biomass allocation, and photosynthetic parameters of C. hirta grown in a greenhouse from seed collected from four populations in part of its native range (Costa Rica) and four populations in part of its introduced range (Hawaiian Islands). Six-month-old seedlings were placed in high (10.3–13.9 mol m^–2 day^–1) or low (1.4–4.5 mol m^–2 day^–1) light treatments and grown for an additional 6 months. Our study provided little evidence that Hawaiian genotypes of C. hirta differed genetically from Costa Rican genotypes in ways that would contribute to differences in habitat distribution or abundance. Some of the genetic differences that were apparent, such as greater allocation to stems and leaf area relative to whole plant biomass in Costa Rican genotypes and greater allocation to roots in Hawaiian genotypes, were contrary to predictions that genotypes from the introduced range would allocate more biomass to growth and less to storage than those from the native range. Hawaiian and Costa Rican genotypes displayed no significant differences in relative growth rates, maximal photosynthetic rates, or specific leaf areas in either light treatment. In the high light environment, however, Hawaiian genotypes allocated more biomass to reproductive parts than Costa Rican genotypes. Phenotypic plasticity for only 1 of 12 morphological and photosynthetic variables was greater for Hawaiian than Costa Rican genotypes. We conclude that genetic shifts in resource use, resource allocation, or plasticity do not contribute to differences in habitat distribution and abundance between the native and introduced ranges of C. hirta. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at . Clidemia hirta individuals grown in a common garden in high light for 10 months from Hawaiian (left) or Costa Rica (right) seed sources     

Aspects of the ecology of the prickly sculpin,Cottus asper Richardson,a persistent native species in Clear Lake,Lake County,California

Synopsis The biology of the prickly sculpin was investigated in Clear Lake, Lake County, California in order to determine how it has persisted in the face of introductions of numerous exotic species when most other native species have declined in abundance or have become extinct. Sculpins over 15 mm SL inhabited all types of benthic habitats in the lake, while post larval sculpins were pelagic when the postlarvae of exotic species were absent. The feeding ecology of sculpins was distinct from the other fishes in the lake in that they fed largely on amphipods and chironomid midge larvae regardless of the time of year, time of day, or habitat. Sculpins were uncommon in the stomachs of piscivorous fishes, except juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). It is concluded that prickly sculpins have persisted in Clear Lake in part because they are ecologically distinct from the exotic species and are not preyed upon by them to any great extent, and in part because they have managed to survive other man-related perturbations of this ecosystem.     

Exploitation and interference competition between the invasive Argentine ant,Linepithema humile,and native ant species

Interactions between the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, and native ant species were studied in a 450-ha biological reserve in northern California. Along the edges of the invasion, the presence of Argentine ants significantly reduced the foraging success of native ant species, and vice versa. Argentine ants were consistently better than native ants at exploiting food sources: Argentine ants found and recruited to bait more consistently and in higher numbers than native ant species, and they foraged for longer periods throughout the day. Native ants and Argentine ants frequently fought when they recruited to the same bait, and native ant species were displaced from bait during 60% of these encounters. In introduction experiments, Argentine ants interfered with the foraging of native ant species, and prevented the establishment of new colonies of native ant species by preying upon winged native ant queens. The Argentine ants' range within the preserve expanded by 12 ha between May 1993 and May 1994, and 13 between September 1993 and September 1994, with a corresponding reduction of the range of native ant species. Although some native ants persist locally at the edges of the invasion of Argentine ants, most eventually disappear from invaded areas. Both interference and exploitation competition appear to be important in the displacement of native ant species from areas invaded by Argentine ants.     

Release from native herbivores facilitates the persistence of invasive marine algae: a biogeographical comparison of the relative contribution of nutrients and herbivory to invasion success

The effect of herbivory and nutrient enrichment on the growth of invasive and native macroalgal species was simultaneously studied in two biogeographic regions: the Caribbean and Hawaii. Herbivores suppressed growth of invasive algae in their native (Caribbean) and invaded range (Hawaii), but despite similar levels of herbivore biomass, the intensity of herbivory was lower in Hawaii. Algal species with a circumtropical distribution did not show a similar effect of herbivores on their growth. Nutrient enrichment did not enhance growth of any algal species in either region. The reduction in herbivore intensity experienced by invasive algae in Hawaii rather than an escape from (native) herbivores provided invasive macroalgae with “enemy release” sensu the Enemy Release Hypothesis (ERH). Since native, Hawaiian herbivores still feed and even prefer invasive algae over native species, invasion scenario’s that involve predation (e.g. the ERH) could be falsely dismissed when invasive species are only studied in their invasive range. We therefore argue that escape from herbivores (i.e. enemy release) can only effectively be determined with additional information on the intensity of predation experienced by an invasive species in its native range.     

Competitive abilities of invasive Lagarosiphon major and native Ceratophyllum demersum in monocultures and mixed cultures in relation to experimental sediment dredging

Competitive abilities of Lagarosiphon major (Ridley) Moss (invasive in Belgium) and native Ceratophyllum demersum L. were assessed experimentally in relation to sediment dredging. We mimicked these conditions by taking undisturbed sediment (‘before dredging’ treatment) and by using restored sediment where the uppermost nutrient rich top layer was removed (‘after dredging’ treatment). Both the species were allowed to grow for seven weeks in monocultures and mixed cultures at different planting densities. Overall, invasive L. major performed better than native C. demersum independent of the characteristics of the growth environment. L. major achieved a higher relative growth rate (RGR) in both treatments based on total length (0.17-0.21 week⁻¹) and weight (0.10-0.19 week⁻¹) compared to C. demersum (length: 0.04-0.07 week⁻¹; weight: 0.03-0.17 week⁻¹). The better performance of L. major was due to a high plasticity under stressful conditions of low free CO₂ and high pH. Intraspecific competition and niche partitioning were observed between the two species indicating that species coexistence is favoured instead of competitive exclusion. L. major performed better in the ‘after dredging’ treatment. Consequently, we deduce that sediment dredging will not lead to a decline of the invasive L. major.     

The effect of soil nitrogen on competition between native and exotic perennial grasses from northern coastal California

The invasion of European perennial grasses represents a new threat to the native coastal prairie of northern California. Many coastal prairie sites also experience anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition or increased N availability as a result of invasion by N-fixing shrubs. We tested the hypothesis that greater seedling competitive ability and greater responsiveness to high N availability of exotic perennial grasses facilitates their invasion in coastal prairie. We evaluated pairwise competitive responses and effects, and the occurrence of asymmetrical competition, among three common native perennial grasses (Agrostis oregonensis, Festuca rubra, and Nassella pulchra) and three exotic perennial grasses (Holcus lanatus, Phalaris aquatica, and Festuca arundinacea), at two levels of soil N. We also compared the root and shoot biomass and response to fertilization of singly-grown plants, so we could evaluate how performance in competition related to innate plant traits. Competitive effects and responses were negatively correlated and in general varied continuously across native and exotic species. Two exceptions were the exotic species Holcus, which had large effects on neighbors and small responses to them, and competed asymmetrically with all other species in the experiment, and the native grass Nassella, which had strong responses to but little effect on neighbors, and was out-competed by all but one other species in the experiment. High allocation to roots and high early relative growth rate appear to explain Holcus’s competitive dominance, but its shoot biomass when grown alone was not significantly greater than those of the species it out-competed. Competitive dynamics were unaffected by fertilization. Therefore, we conclude that seedling competitive ability alone does not explain the increasing dominance of exotic perennial grasses in California coastal prairie. Furthermore, since native and exotic species responded individualistically, grouping species as ‘natives’ and ‘exotics’ obscured underlying variation within the two categories. Finally, elevated soil N does not appear to influence competition among the native and exotic perennial grasses studied, so reducing soil N pools may not be a critical step for the restoration of California coastal prairie.     

The interactive effects of elevated CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>, temperature and initial size on growth and competition between a native C<Subscript>3</Subscript> and an invasive C<Subscript>3</Subscript> grass

A controlled environment experiment was conducted to determine the impact of enhanced carbon dioxide and temperature on competition between the C₃ grasses Austrodanthonia eriantha and Vulpia myuros. Plants were grown in mixtures and monocultures to compare the responses both with and without an interspecific competitor. Temperature and CO₂ were set at current levels (350 ppm CO₂; 20 °C day and 10 °C night temperature), in factorial combination with enhanced levels (700 ppm CO₂; 23 °C day and 13 °C night temperature). To examine the potential impact of initial seedling size on competition under elevated CO₂ and temperature, the two species were combined in mixtures of differing initial sizes. Above-ground growth of all plants was enhanced by increased CO₂ and temperature alone, however the combined temperature and CO₂ treatment showed a sub-additive effect, where growth was less than expected based on the responses to each factor independently. Austrodanthonia in mixture with Vulpia plants of the same initial size experienced a 27 reduction in growth. Austrodanthonia grown in the presence of an initially larger Vulpia plant experienced a 58 reduction in growth. When the Vulpia plant was initially smaller than Austrodanthonia, growth of the Austrodanthonia was reduced by 16%. The growth of Vulpia appeared to be largely unaffected by the presence of Austrodanthonia. Variation in the CO₂ and temperature environment did not affect the pattern of these interspecific interactions, although there was some evidence to suggest that the degree of suppression of Austrodanthonia by Vulpia was less under elevated CO₂. These results do not support the initial advantage hypothesis, as Vulpia was always able to suppress Austrodanthonia, regardless of the initial relative sizes of the competitors. Furthermore, the lack of an effect of changing the CO₂ or temperature environment on the direction of interspecific competition suggests that the competitiveness of the invasive Vulpia will be minimally affected by changes in atmospheric CO₂ concentration or temperature.     

Comparison of foliar terpenes between native and invasive Solidago gigantea

To test a defensive chemistry prediction of the Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability (EICA) hypothesis, Solidago gigantea plants from North American and European (invasive) populations were grown in a screen-enclosed garden. Terpenes from 80 seed grown (dried leaves) and 320 rhizome propagated (moist leaves) individuals were confirmed by GC/MS and quantified by GC-FID. Native seed grown plants were found to have significantly greater diterpene concentrations than their European counterparts; foliar sesquiterpenes did not differ. The occurrence of specific sesquiterpenes and diterpenes was homogeneous across the two seed sources suggesting these biochemical pathways remain unchanged. Leaves from native rhizome propagated plants also had significantly greater monoterpene and diterpene concentrations; again sesquiterpene levels did not differ. Rhizome propagated plants exhibited significant population differences in monoterpene and diterpene concentrations. These data support the defensive chemistry predictions of the EICA hypotheses but cannot discount the role of possible founder effects in the invasive range.     

Dominance of an invasive earthworm in native and non-native grassland ecosystems

More attention is currently being focused on earthworm invasions; however, in many ecosystems the relative abundance of native and invasive earthworm species is unknown. We characterized earthworm populations of two grassland types within the Palouse region: native prairie remnants and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) set asides planted with exotic grasses. The earthworm community in both grassland types was completely dominated by the exotic-invasive Aporrectodea trapezoides. Only one individual of a native species, Driloleirus americanus (the giant Palouse earthworm), was found in a prairie remnant. No differences were found between prairie remnants and CRP sites for mean earthworm density (24–106 individuals m⁻²) or fresh weight (12–45 g m⁻²). Our results suggest that the combined effects of land-use change, habitat fragmentation and competitive interactions have resulted in the decimation of native earthworm populations and dominance of invasive earthworms in native and non-native grasslands of the Palouse region.