Abstract
The arthropod assemblages of the litter and soil play significant roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. At the FACE (Free-Air CO2 Enrichment) site at the Duke Forest, we assessed the responses of the litter microarthropod assemblage to elevated CO2 (200 ppm above ambient) in a loblolly pine plantation. Following the initiation of the elevated CO2 treatment, a trend toward lower microarthropod abundance under elevated CO2 emerged. After 18 months, the mean microarthropod abundance was 33% lower in the elevated treatment (P=0.04). The decline was evident in all microarthropod groups, but was significant only in the oribatid mites (P=0.04). Because these responses precede any changes in litter quality resulting from the CO2 treatment, they may reflect plant-derived changes in the soil that are being conveyed into the litter layer.
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