Contrasting protist communities (Cercozoa: Rhizaria) in pristine and earthworm-invaded North American deciduous forests

Abstract Earthworms are considered ecosystem engineers due to their fundamental impact on soil structure, processes and other biota. An invasion of non-native earthworm species has altered soils North America since European settlement, a process currently expanding into still earthworm-free forest ecosystems continuous spread increasing temperatures owing climate change. Although earthworms known modify microbial diversity activity, it is as yet unclear how eukaryote consumers in food webs will be affected. Here, we investigated affects the Cercozoa, one most dominant protist taxa soils. composition native cercozoan community clearly shifted response invasion, communities different forests showed distinct responses. We identified 39 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) exclusively indicating hinting at an earthworm-associated Cercozoa. In particular, Woronina pythii , hyper-parasite plant-parasitic Oomycota American forests, increased strongly presence invasive earthworms, influence oomycete potentially health, which requires further research.