Glaciation as an historical filter of belowground biodiversity

Results We found that c-diversity decreases from south to north whereas a-diversity increases along the same latitudinal gradient. Communities in formerly glaciated regions are composed of smaller, more mobile species and show trait and taxonomical aggregation. In more southerly populations, which did not experience glaciation, earthworm species are larger, have smaller geographical ranges, and communities demonstrate a decrease in species co-occurrence resulting in lower local species richness.