A researcher at Michigan Technological University shows an earthworm and maple leaf in 2017. A study that year suggested the non-native worms were eating up the forest floor, causing sugar maples to die back and perhaps harming other forest dwellers. (Michigan Technological University photo)

LANSING – In a recent study measuring the body size and growth patterns of invasive earthworms in the Huron Mountains, researchers uncovered their role in disrupting forest ecosystems.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of earthworms in North America are invasive species, unintentionally introduced during European colonization, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

These non-native worms have a significant impact on ecosystems, especially in the Great Lakes region, where they affect

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