Abstract
We experimentally tested the impact of browsing, defecation and urination corresponding to four different levels of moose population density on abundance and number of eco-morphological groups of soil mesofauna in a Swedish boreal forest. The study was carried out in three fenced exclosures representing different levels of productivity (from nutrient-rich to nutrient-poor). Moose impact on soil communities was evaluated by analysing abundance, richness and diversity of mesofaunal groups, and by means of a multi-taxa index based on ecomorphological groups, the Biological Soil Quality index (QBS). There was a negative impact of high moose densities on the abundance and richness of soil mesofauna. Furthermore, low-moderate moose densities had a positive impact on abundance and number of eco-morphological groups. We conclude that moose can have a large impact on soil-living mesofauna, and therefore probably soil decomposition processes and biological soil quality, in young boreal forest stands.
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