The role of large arthropods in the development of halomorphic soils in the south of Siberia

Abstract

Soil sequences along catenas crossing the peripheral parts of shallow-water drying lakes in the south of Siberia have been studied. They include the sulfidic and typical playa (sor) solonchaks (Gleyic Solonchaks), playa solonchak over the buried solonetz (Gleyic Solonchak Thapto-Solonetz)), shallow solonetz–solonchak (Salic Solonetz), and solonetzic and solonchakous chernozemic-meadow soil (Luvic Gleyic Chernozem (Sodic, Salic)). This spatial sequence also represents a series of historical stages of the development of halomorphic soils: the amphibian, hydromorphic, semihydromorphic, and automorphic–paleohydromorphic stages. During all of them, the biogenic component plays a significant role in the matter budget of halomorphic soils. The diversity, number, and functional activity of large insects and spiders are particularly important. Their total abundance in the course of transformation of the halomorphic soils decreases from several thousand to about 100 specimens/(m2 day), whereas their species diversity increases from 17 to 45 species. Changes in the functional structure of the soil zoocenosis and its impact on the character and intensity of pedogenetic processes can be considered driving forces of the transformation of hydromorphic soils. This is ensured by the sequential alteration of the groups of invertebrates with different types of cenotic strategy and different mechanisms of adaptation to biotic and abiotic components of the soil in the course of the development of the soil zoocenosis.