Changes in Biomass and Diversity of Soil Macrofauna along a Climatic Gradient in European Boreal Forests

Latitudinal gradients allow insights into the factors that shape ecosystem structure and delimit ecosystem processes, particularly climate. We asked whether the biomass and diversity of soil macrofauna in boreal forests change systematically along a latitudinal gradient spanning from 60° N to 69° N. Invertebrates (3697 individuals) were extracted from 400 soil samples (20 × 20 cm, 30 cm depth) collected at ten sites in 2015–2016 and then weighed and identified. We discovered 265 species living in soil and on the soil surface; their average density was 0.486 g d·w·m−2. The species-level diversity decreased from low to high latitudes. The biomass of soil macrofauna showed no latitudinal changes in early summer but decreased towards the north in late summer. This variation among study sites was associated with the decrease in mean annual temperature by ca 5 °C and with variation in fine root biomass. The biomass of herbivores and fungivores decreased towards the north, whereas the biomass of detritivores and predators showed no significant latitudinal changes. This variation in latitudinal biomass patterns among the soil macrofauna feeding guilds suggests that these guilds may respond differently to climate change, with poorly understood consequences for ecosystem structure and functions

Reduced functionality of soil food webs in burnt boreal forests: a case study in Central Russia

© 2017, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. Abstract: Functionality of soil food webs after forest fires remains generally unexplored. We address this question by studying both burnt and unburnt spruce forests in Central European Russia (Tver Region). In August 2014 we sampled two spatially distant blocks consisting of forest areas burnt in 2010 and the respective unburnt controls. We analyzed biomass and structure of soil food webs as well as carbon mobilization with respect to carbon stocks in the dead wood, litter and soil after burning. The biomass of soil fauna was moderately reduced in the burnt plots. For some groups like testate amoebae and enchytraeids, however, this decrease was highly significant and corresponded with the decreased C-stock in litter. For the other taxa changes in biomass were insignificant. At the same time C-flow through the soil food web after fire was strongly reduced mainly due to the reduction of biomass of active fungi and secondary decomposers. The overall consumption rate of detritus by the soil food web strongly decreased in the burnt forests and was maintained predominantly by the decomposition activity of bacteria instead of fungi. This resulted in the reduction of the total soil food web functionality related with C-mobilization in the forests four years after a fire event. Brief Summary: We compared rates of carbon mobilization by soil food webs in burnt and unburnt boreal forests in Central Russia. Despite of only slight decrease in soil animal biomass, consumption rate of carbon in the soil food webs after fire was considerably lower and mainly associated with soil bacteria instead of fungi

Changes in Biomass and Diversity of Soil Macrofauna along a Climatic Gradient in European Boreal Forests

Latitudinal gradients allow insights into the factors that shape ecosystem structure and delimit ecosystem processes, particularly climate. We asked whether the biomass and diversity of soil macrofauna in boreal forests change systematically along a latitudinal gradient spanning from 60° N to 69° N. Invertebrates (3697 individuals) were extracted from 400 soil samples (20 × 20 cm, 30 cm depth) collected at ten sites in 2015–2016 and then weighed and identified. We discovered 265 species living in soil and on the soil surface; their average density was 0.486 g d·w·m−2. The species-level diversity decreased from low to high latitudes. The biomass of soil macrofauna showed no latitudinal changes in early summer but decreased towards the north in late summer. This variation among study sites was associated with the decrease in mean annual temperature by ca 5 °C and with variation in fine root biomass. The biomass of herbivores and fungivores decreased towards the north, whereas the biomass of detritivores and predators showed no significant latitudinal changes. This variation in latitudinal biomass patterns among the soil macrofauna feeding guilds suggests that these guilds may respond differently to climate change, with poorly understood consequences for ecosystem structure and functions.</p

Taxonomic diversity and abundance of enchytraeids (Annelida, Clitellata, Enchytraeida) in the Northern Palaearctic. 1. Asian part

Enchytraeids, or potworms, are tiny oligochaetes that are distributed worldwide in many terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Despite their key role in the functioning of ecosystems, the diversity and abundance of Enchytraeidae are rarely studied due to the laborious process of species identification. The present study addresses this gap and sheds some light on the distribution and abundance of enchytraeids in the lands of the Northern Palearctic. The provided dataset constitutes the latest and comprehensive field sampling of enchytraeid assemblages across the Asiatic part of the Northern Palearctic, encompassing an original set of soil samples systematically collected throughout the region from 2019 to 2022.The dataset includes occurrences from 131 georeferenced sites, encompassing 39 species and 7,074 records. This represents the first dataset providing species-specific information about the distribution and abundance of terrestrial enchytraeids across an extensive geographic area covering the Asian sector of the Northern Palaearctic. The compiled dataset is the key for exploring and understanding local and regional enchytraeid diversity. It may also serve as a valuable resource for monitoring and conserving the entire soil biodiversity

Impact of overwintering cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) on springtail (hexapoda: Collembola) communities of the azov and black sea coastal forests

© TÜBİTAK. Nesting water bird colonies may act as important drivers of aquatic-terrestrial nutrient turnover in coastal ecosystems. By depositing a large amount of guano, they induce changes in the structure of soils, flora, and fauna. However, little is known about how nesting water bird colonies influence soil fauna, especially in a Mediterranean type of coastal landscape. In this study, focus was placed on how time had elapsed since the last overwintering activity of cormorant colonies, as a factor that affects the structure of springtail communities and edaphic parameters in the Black and Azov Sea coastal forest ecosystems. Black Sea coastal forests with active overwintering cormorant colonies have been characterized by a decreased total abundance, genus richness, and an abundance of certain functional groups of springtails. In contrast, in the coastal forests of the Azov Sea, where the last cormorant overwintering activity was observed 8 years ago, the total abundance of collembolans, and particularly epiedaphic species, had increased in comparison with the control sites. It was concluded that the overwintering activity of cormorants had a negative effect on springtails in previously undisturbed areas within the Mediterranean coastal forests. Nevertheless, the long-term absence of cormorant colonies may lead to the recovery of collembolan total abundance and genus richness in the previously affected areas

Influence of Seabird Colonies on Soil Macrofauna Communities at the Black Sea Coast Forests

© 2019, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. Abstract: A seabird (Phalacrocorax carbo) colony overwintering for three consecutive years in a pine forest near the Black Sea coast caused severe damage to the vegetation. The impact of excessive nutrients input from this colony increased soil acidity, N, P, Cu and S-content in soil and might therefore affect soil macrofauna. We compared the abundance of main functional trait guilds and the total abundance of soil macrofauna within impact and control pine forests. No significant difference between the sites was noted in taxonomic richness, total macrofauna abundance and abundance of mobile, belowground, phytophagous and predatory invertebrates. However, the abundance of poorly mobile, poorly mobile epibiontic, and these both traits of saprophagous macrofauna guilds was significantly higher in the control sites. We conclude that three-year wintering of a seabird colony in forest can lead to drastic changes in the macrofauna communities structure due to allochthonous input of nutrients

Influence of Seabird Colonies on Soil Macrofauna Communities at the Black Sea Coast Forests

© 2019, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. Abstract: A seabird (Phalacrocorax carbo) colony overwintering for three consecutive years in a pine forest near the Black Sea coast caused severe damage to the vegetation. The impact of excessive nutrients input from this colony increased soil acidity, N, P, Cu and S-content in soil and might therefore affect soil macrofauna. We compared the abundance of main functional trait guilds and the total abundance of soil macrofauna within impact and control pine forests. No significant difference between the sites was noted in taxonomic richness, total macrofauna abundance and abundance of mobile, belowground, phytophagous and predatory invertebrates. However, the abundance of poorly mobile, poorly mobile epibiontic, and these both traits of saprophagous macrofauna guilds was significantly higher in the control sites. We conclude that three-year wintering of a seabird colony in forest can lead to drastic changes in the macrofauna communities structure due to allochthonous input of nutrients

Intra-Body Variations of Stable Isotope Ratios (δ13C, δ15N) and Influence of Storage Methods in Aquatic and Post-Aquatic Stages of the Common Toad, Bufo bufo

Isotopic signatures of carbon and nitrogen are widely used for analysis of the structure of food webs in aquatic ecosystems. The study of animals raises a number of methodological questions, including choice of representative tissues and organs for sampling as well as storage of the studied organisms. Furthermore, the impacts of preservation methods can be tissue-specific, age-specific, and even taxon-specific; thus, studies of these impacts on particular taxa are necessary. We focused on the C and N isotope composition of the common toad (Bufo bufo), one of the most widespread European anuran amphibians. We hypothesized that its different tissues and organs may vary in isotopic composition, and ethanol and freezing may have different effects on isotopic values. Our results showed that both “tissue” and “storage method” factors significantly affected the δ13C values of tadpoles and postmetamorphic juveniles, whereas only the “tissue” factor had a significant effect on the δ15N values. The two stages, tadpoles and postmetamorphs, should be analyzed separately despite the brief postmetamorphic period of the juveniles. The skin, legs, muscles, and tail in tadpoles and legs, muscles and heart in juveniles can be used for δ13C and δ15N analysis regardless of the method of storage. The results will serve for the optimization of future study designs in isotopic ecology