Annelids, or segmented worms, are a highly diverse group of invertebrates that are key components of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. They include the familiar earthworms as well as a large diversity of less familiar freshwater and marine worms. Often one of the most abundant animal groups in an ecosystem, annelids perform key ecological roles including affecting sediment characteristics, feeding on detritus and other organisms, and serving as important prey items for other animals.
This presentation will provide an overview of the wonderful diversity and interesting natural histories of annelids in Maryland, with a particular focus on those found in freshwaters and the Chesapeake Bay. The presentation will also discuss current research on small and delicate freshwater annelids known as water nymph worms, a group of annelids that are found throughout Maryland and are capable of extensive regeneration and asexual reproduction.
Alexa Bely is a Professor of Biology at the University of Maryland. She runs a research lab focused on the diversity, reproduction, and regeneration of naid annelids, the water nymph worms. She teaches undergraduate courses on animal diversity and evolution and on invertebrate biology and also runs a program for undergraduate students completing a research honors thesis in biology. She has lived in several parts of the world but has spent most of her life in Maryland. She currently lives in College Park and loves exploring nature (including its microscopic life), sharing her enthusiasm for the natural world, and advocating for the restoration and preservation of natural areas.
