Methodological framework for assessment of anthropogenic impact on the biodiversity of soil-biotic communities of taiga and steppe ecosystems in the Baikal region

Abstract

Landscape-ecological analysis of soil invertebrate’s communities and their spatial distribution in the Baikal Region was carried out on the local (biogeocenotic), topological (facies) and regional levels. The paper considers Methodological Framework for Assessment of transformation of communities’ structure and biodiversity under the influence of natural: phytocenotic (peculiarities of vegetation), edaphical and climatic (hydrothermal regime of the soil) conditions and anthropogenic factors: the removal of the wood as a result of deforestation, fires, irrational use of pastures, technogenic pollution, recreation and others. Peculiarities of structures of invertebrate’s communities and their changes due to the climate change and anthropogenic impacts can serve as one of diagnostic criteria of soil conditions and can be used for estimation of an extent of landscape’s transformation and for monitoring. In the spectrum of states of the taxonomic diversity of landscape units, three main categories of situations are distinguished: critical, conflict and relatively satisfactory. The main trend of changes in taxonomic diversity of invertebrate’s communities is a decrease in the species number in the gradient of an increase of climate aridity, and strengthening of the hypothermal character and anthropogenic pressure.