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Reactions of the Macrofauna of a Forest Mull to Experimental Perturbations of Litter Supply

1991; Wiley; Volume: 61; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/3545239

1600-0706

Jean‐François David, Jean‐François Ponge, Pierre Arpin, Guy Vannier, Jean‐François David, Jean‐François Ponge,

Forest Insect Ecology and Management

The effects on forest soil macrofauna of two treatments, viz.litter interception and twofold litter supply, were studied for five yr in the field.Results concern five saprophagous groups (Lumbricidae, Diplopoda , Isopoda , Coleoptera larvae, Diptera larvae) and five zoophagous groups (Geophilomorpha, Lithobiomorpha, Pseudoscorpionida, Coleoptera larvae , Diptera larvae) .The litter interception had a negative effect on the abundance of most taxa, but was rather slow; there was no significant decrease in abundance before at least 1 yr in Lumbricidae, 2 yr in lsopoda and zoophagous Diptera larvae, 2.5 yr in Diplopoda, saprophagous Diptera larvae, Geophilomorpha and Lithobiomorpha.The twofold litter supply had no significant effect on the abundance of most taxa; on the other hand, it initiated a process of dead leaf accumulation in relation to control, with an annual decomposition rate (k') higher on the control plot than on the plot with an increased litter supply.The results do not support the assumption that saprophagous soil macrofauna are food-limited in acid mull conditions.Many perturbation experiments have been carried out on soil ecosystems, in particular by adding insecticides or fertilizers (provision al review in Usher et al. 1982).Experiments consisting of modifications in litter supply, in order to investigate the reactions of the soil fauna to these perturbations, have been less numerous.Nielsen and Hole (1964), Uetz (1979), Hövemeyer (1989), Garay and Hafidi (1990), Judas (1990), Poser (1990) can be quoted for macrofauna, and Gill (1969), Stanton (1979), Arpin et al. (1985) for meso-and microfauna.In 1984, the latter authors began another study on the effects of the amount of litter and herbs on the meso-and microfauna of a forest mull, in a site more acidic than that formerly studied, where the annual litter fall was thought to be of greater importance owing to the lower organic matter content of the soil.This has given an opportunity for measuring the variations in abundance of the soil macrofauna in the same site, after decrease or increase in litter supply, which is the subject of the present paper.