Invasive Jumping Worms - Why Care & What To Do?
Thursday 02/03/22, 7:00PM - 8:30PM
Sliding Scale Webinar, Registration Below
Healthy soils are key to our healthy landscapes, farms, and gardens. In this webinar, Dr. Görres will inform us about the emerging threat that invasive worms pose to our soils and what we can do to be vigilant soil stewards in light of this new challenge.
The Vermont Center for Ecostudies states: “Jumping worms, AKA crazy worms, jumpers or snake worms, are invasive earthworms recently found in Vermont. Currently there are three species of jumping worms introduced from Asia that appear to threaten northeastern hardwood forests: Amynthas agrestis, Amynthas tokioensis and Metaphire hilgendorfi. Jumping worms get their name from their behavior. When handled, they violently thrash, spring into the air and can even shed their tails to escape. In the forests of North America, these voracious feeders eat the organic layer on the surface of the forest floor, which hampers the growth of tree seedlings and many understory plants.”
Dr. Görres will present on the ecology, phenology and geographical distribution. Why do we worry about these worms, where do they come from, how do they move around, and what can be done? He will also discuss research on biological control and other horticultural management strategies.
About University of Vermont Associate Professor, Dr. Josef Görres
Vermont’s economy depends on agriculture and thus soil is a central resource. My teaching and research connect ecosystem services with agricultural economics for the sustainability and prosperity of farms in Vermont.
My teaching interests in undergraduate soil science courses are to provide students with a survey of soil science that includes current issues to give them an appreciation of the role of soils in the environment, fundamental knowledge about soils, and a working knowledge of professional materials.
Learn more about Dr. Görres here: https://www.uvm.edu/cals/pss/profiles/associate-professor-josef-gorres
Registration opens soon.