The following is a faculty research project supported by the Upstate Institute:
Tim S. McCay, Associate Professor of Biology
Although earthworms are well known for their positive role as decomposers of plant litter, they can have negative effects on ecosystems in which they did not evolve. The central problem regarding exotic earthworms in Upstate New York is that little information is available to land managers regarding the distributions of exotic and native taxa. McKay’s work will therefore seek to develop a better understanding of the distributions of exotic and native worm species in natural areas of central New York, and a better understanding between the different species and land-cover types in the region.