Soil Mesofauna Research Articles

Viticulture is a perennial cropping system that provides large inter-row space as a non-crop habitat for a range of different taxa. Extensive vegetation management has been shown to increase biodiversity and ecosystem service provision in vineyards. Important soil ecosystem services are decomposition, nutrient cycling, and pest regulation provided by the mesofauna (e.g., Acari and Collembola). However, studies investigating the effects of inter-row management on soil mesofauna are scarce. We studied the effect of inter-row management intensity (complete vegetation cover, alternating vegetation cover, and bare ground) and local pedoclimatic conditions on Acari and Collembola in nine Austrian vineyards. Our results showed that the clay content of the soil was the most important factor and increased the abundances of both analyzed taxa. Complete and alternating vegetation cover increased their abundance in comparison to bare ground management. Higher soil respiration slightly contributed to higher abundances of those two taxa in both years. In conclusion, besides the positive effects of the clay content in the soil, complete and alternating vegetation cover are feasible management practices for increasing soil mesofauna in vineyards.

Responses of soil greenhouse gas emissions to soil mesofauna invasions and its driving mechanisms in the alpine tundra: A microcosm study

The tree Ochroma pyramidale is used to recover jungle areas that have been cultivated. This native species generates a thick layer of leaf litter that remains for several years. The objectives of this study were: 1) to know how much leaf litter is produced, 2) to estimate how long it persists in the soil, and 3) to identify the role of soil fauna in its decomposition. Leaf litter production was estimated at 11 Mg/ha/year, while over the course of 13 years the biomass and depth of the leaf litter layer measured in three sites previously planted with Ochroma showed a decrease of over 60%. In a leaf litter decomposition experiment, 37% of biomass was lost in 180 days. Soil mesofauna reduced the concentration of cellulose in leaf litter, while lignin decreased due to the time of permanence of the leaf litter in the soil. The high C:N proportion of the leaves, together with high lignin concentrations, could explain the low levels of loss and accumulation of biomass.

Below-ground pitfall traps for standardised monitoring of soil mesofauna: Design and comparison to Berlese/Tullgren funnels

The temporal and spatial dynamics of soil fauna in many terrestrial ecosystems are still not fully understood, while soil fauna is one of the most critical characteristics in assessing soil quality. Therefore, the effects of native [Quercus brantii (QP) and Amygdalus scoparia (AMP)] and non-native [Cupressus arizonica (CUP) and Pinus eldarica (PIN)] plantations and natural trees [Quercus brantii coppice trees (QNC), standard (QNS), and Amygdalus scoparia (AMN)] on diversity and abundance of macro- and mesofauna were done in the semi-arid forest of Zagros, Iran. Samples were collected beneath the canopy of woody species and the outer edge of the canopy in spring and summer seasons. For this purpose, soil samples [(7 samples per woody species + control) × 2 seasons × 3 replicates] were taken from 0 to 20 cm depths. Each soil sample was a mix of three soil cores. For the macrofauna, 15 species belonging to four families (in spring) and 17 species in nine families (in summer) were collected and identified. For the soil mesofauna, 14 species belonging to 14 families (in spring) and 13 species in 13 different families (in summer) were identified, respectively. The fauna diversity indices under the canopy of studied species were higher in summer season than in spring. The result showed that the macrofauna diversity was affected by tree species, while mesofauna was affected by seasonal changes. Macrofauna biodiversity was higher under the canopy of PIN and CUP than other trees. Principle component analysis showed that the diversity of the macrofauna was higher under the canopy of PIN and CUP, and influenced by soil characteristic properties, soil properties did not influence them. Yet the diversity of the mesofauna was affected by soil characteristics and was higher in areas with higher organic carbon, nitrogen, substrate-induced respiration, basal respiration, microbial carbon biomass, and alkaline phosphatase. In addition, mesofauna biodiversity had a significant positive correlation with the soil quality index (SQI). SQI was higher under the canopy of natural stands, especially the QNS. Conservation of native species (QNS, QNC, and AMN) and plantation with native deciduous species (QP and AMP) seem to moderate environmental conditions and increase soil macro- and mesofauna diversity and SQI.

An experiment was conducted in an undisturbed Leucaena leucocephala (Lam)de Wit (subabul) plantation ecosystem to study the impact of abiotic factors on the distribution of litter and soil mesofauna. The findings revealed a significant correlation between the abundance of soil and litter mesofauna and abiotic factors. In the natural subabul plantation, the soil mesofauna population ranged from 38.00 (1st fortnight) to 307.00 /400g (11th fortnight), with a mean population of 123.48 /400g. Similarly, the litter mesofauna population ranged from 19.67 (12th fortnight) to 1013.33 /100g (9th fortnight), with a mean population of 211.52/100g. Soil temperature at 7 and 14 hours significantly negatively correlated with soil mesofauna. The distribution of soil mesofauna was impacted by abiotic factors up to 97 per cent, with in-situ soil temperature showing an impact of up to 74.1 per cent. A unit change in soil temperature would lead to a decrease of 18.23 units of soil mesofauna. Additionally, atmospheric maximum relative humidity and this abiotic factor impacted 83 per cent of soil mesofauna, while soil moisture and these two abiotic factors impacted 92.6 per cent of soil mesofauna abundance. All three factors exhibited a negative impact on soil mesofauna. On the other hand, rainfall showed a significant positive relationship with litter mesofauna, whereas in-situ soil temperature showed a significant negative relationship. Furthermore, abiotic factors contributed to 69.6 per cent of the abundance of litter mesofauna, with rainfall showing an influence of up to 40 per cent. A unit change in rainfall would increase 3.122 units in litter mesofauna abundance.

Extensive green roofs are well known to improve the urban environment, but in the Mediterranean regions, dry climatic conditions pose the problem of their sustainability when no irrigation is applied. After planting or sowing in 2012, 18 local Mediterranean plant species on different types of exposure and substrate in a non-irrigated extensive green roof in Avignon (South-Eastern France), the physico-chemical characteristics of the soil, winter and spring soil seed banks, soil mesofauna and initially sown, planted, or spontaneous vegetation expressed on the surface were studied from 2013 to 2020. In 2020, significant differences related to the exposure conditions (shade/sun) and, to a lesser extent, to the depth of substrate used (5 cm/5 cm or 10 cm with a water retention layer) were found. The deeper plots in the shade have significantly higher soil fertility, cover, and vegetation height. However, the plots in the sun have higher moss cover, planted or sowed vegetation abundance, and springtail abundance. By 2020, more than half of the initially sown species had disappeared, except for several planted perennials and short-cycle annual species. On the other hand, a significant increase in the species richness of spontaneously established species was measured over time. In the absence of a permanent and transient seed bank for the sowed and spontaneous species, the plant community is then mostly dependent on species flows via the local surrounding seed rain. Planting perennial species (Sedum spp., Iris lutescens), followed by spontaneous colonization of species present in the vicinity of the roof would then represent a more efficient strategy for the persistence of extensive non-irrigated green roofs in Mediterranean environments than sowing a species-rich local Mediterranean seed mixture dominated by annual species.

Home gardens play a transcendental role in food sovereignty, for which the management of habitats above ground and underground are complementary strategies. This study aims to compare the biodiversity of soil mesofauna groups between agroecosystems with a conventional and an agroecological design. Through the combination of quantitative (plant inventories) and qualitative (mobile interviewing and talking maps) techniques, the units of this study was described. Soil samples were mounted in a Berlesse–Tullgren system, and the abundance, richness, diversity, and equality of soil organisms were determined. The relationships between functional groups were compared taxonomically and biocenotically. The results indicated higher equality in the conventional home garden, while the communities studied present a medium taxocenotic similarity, without great biocenotic differences. The diversity and richness of taxa, as well as the abundance in each group identified, were higher in the agroecological garden, which had more medicinal and aromatic plants.

Matching the puzzle piece to a new jigsaw: The effect of surrounding environments on plants and invertebrates in the translocated wet meadow

Collembola (Isotomidae) and mowing management practices control distinct aspects of thatch decomposition in a lawn mesocosm experiment

First assessment of soil mesofauna, microbiota, and humic substances associations in a minesoil revegetated with four grasses in Brazil: An 18-year field study

Collembola taxonomic and functional diversity in conventional, organic and conservation cropping systems

In this study the effect of different grassland managements (cattle grazing with different intensities and mowing) on soil mesofauna, i.e. mites (Acari) and springtails (Collembola), was studied. Mites and springtails are the most numerous representatives of soil mesofauna organisms living in the upper soil layers (up to 5 cm). Soil mesofauna groups or species are commonly used as bioindicators of soil health. The experiment was carried out from 2007 to 2009 in the West Sudety Mountains, Poland. Pastures and meadows were under organic farming management, without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, and restricted livestock density. Soil samples were taken three times a year (in May−June, July and October) from pastures grazed at different frequencies: once, twice and four times a year, alternate management (grazed and mown pasture) and mown meadow. Mites were identified according to orders or suborders (Oribatida, Gamasida, Prostigmata, Astigmata), while springtails to the species level. The data were analysed using a general linear model (GLM). The mesofauna taxa in relation to the treatment and date were analysed with the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The data from three years showed that most soil mesofauna assemblages occurred in significantly higher numbers on the pasture grazed once or twice and on alternate managed pasture than in pasture grazed four times a year and mown meadow. The CCA analysis showed the preference of most springtail species to pasture grazed once a year, while mites preferred pasture grazed twice a year and alternate management. The number of species and the abundance of the most numerous species (Protaphorura pannonica, Desoria multisetis and Folsomides parvulus) did not differ significantly between treatments. To summarize, cattle grazing once or twice a season or alternate management (grazing and mowing once a season) have a positive impact on soil mesofauna.

Ecomorphological groups in oribatid mite communities shift with time after topsoil removal – Insight from multi-trait approaches during succession in restored heathlands

Soil mesofauna plays a role in fertilizing the soil and plants. Soil mesofauna is one of the soil organisms that can provide information about soil quality and fertility. This study aims to analyze the population density of soil mesofauna in secondary forests, oil palm agroforestry with agarwood and community rubber plantations in Kampar Regency. Soil sampling using purposive sampling method and soil mesofauna sorting using a barless tullgreen tool. The results showed that the total population density of soil mesofauna in oil palm agroforestry with agarwood was 102.67 indv/m2, rubber plantations were 96.00 indv/m2, and the secondary forest was 85.33 indv/m2. The soil mesofauna family that was primarily obtained in the secondary forest was the Hahniidae family (21 individuals), the oil palm agroforestry with agarwood was the Formicidae family (35 individuals) and in the rubber plantations, the Formicidae family (20 individuals). Information on the population density of soil mesofauna in secondary forests, oil palm agroforestry with agarwood and rubber plantations in Kampar Regency becomes data for better environmental management.

Abstract Assessment of mine rehabilitation strategies including soil cover treatments rely mainly on soil physico‐chemical properties or plant performance indices, while much less is known about the response of biological soil properties. This field study evaluated the response of soil mesofauna (Collembola and Acari) in soil cover treatments (mainly subsoil and subsoil) on mine tailings, with or without organic amendments. The field experiment was conducted in large (1 m3) units rehabilitated in 2014, and mesofauna in soil cores was assessed 7 years later. The richness of Collembola and Acari as well as the density of Acari increased with organic amendments. Collembola community composition changed with the addition of soil cover and organic amendments. The density and community composition of Acari were strongly positively associated with organic carbon. The density of Euedaphic Collembola decreased, whereas Hemiedaphic and Epedaphic forms increased with soil cover. The contribution of generalist and metal‐tolerant species explained the high density of Euedaphic life forms in tailings. Species‐specific traits for Collembola and Acari could play an essential role in explaining the response of populations to treatments, such as affinity for C‐enriched habitats, food preferences, and sensitivity to heavy metals. Overall, it is recommended to use a multiple diversity indices approach, to collect data on the density and assemblage of mesofauna species to investigate the response of mesofauna communities to soil cover treatments. Mine tailings rehabilitation strategies should focus on improving the nutrient content of soil covers, since it benefits diversity and density of soil fauna.

European semi-natural grasslands are particularly species-rich and provide many ecosystem services but depend on extensive land management. Today, these ecosystems are highly threatened by land abandonment, land use intensification and habitat destruction. The increasing construction of solar parks may contribute to habitat destruction but also provide an opportunity to restore or even create semi-natural grasslands. We studied ten solar parks along a climate gradient in Southern France to evaluate the establishment of semi-natural grasslands managed by grazing. We compared plots outside and under solar panels in terms of plant community composition, soil biodiversity and soil functioning to test whether solar panels hamper this establishment. The different microclimate under solar panels strongly affected the plant species composition and reduced the abundance of soil mesofauna and biomass of fungi and gram-negative bacteria. Outside panels, the vegetation was shaped by a climatic gradient, in particular by variations in temperature and precipitation whereas under panels variations were smaller indicating a homogenizing effect of panels on plant community composition. We found more trophic interactions between panels compared to outside and under panels suggesting a protection effect of panels between rows on the soil food web. However, plots under panels showed the lowest number of interactions demonstrating that the strong shading had a negative effect on the plant-soil food web. Solar panels therefore reduce the plant and soil biodiversity of semi-natural grasslands and disrupt ecosystem functions. In order to improve the ecological integration of solar parks, it is thus necessary to mitigate negative effects of solar panels on biodiversity or to increase the space between panels.

Woody plant encroachment threatens grassland biomes at a global scale. Pyric herbivory combines prescribed burnings and targeted grazing to restore open habitats and has proved to be successful in promoting landscape and plant community diversity. However, less is known on the effects of pyric herbivory practices on belowground biodiversity. We evaluated the midterm effect on mesofauna, bacteria and fungi of prescribed burns and targeted horse grazing regimes implemented to restore a grassland encroached by gorse (Ulex gallii Planch.). We hypothesized that 1) low-intensity shrub-to shrub burnings had no effect or had a transient effect of low magnitude on soil microbial diversity, and that 2) targeted horse grazing after burning increased soil mesofauna and microbial diversity in the midterm. We established an experiment in two shrub-encroached grasslands in western Pyrenees with three treatments (no burning and no grazing as control, burning but no grazing, and burning and grazing). We measured soil properties and soil diversity of fungi and bacteria (DNA-metabarcoding) just after fire, and vegetation structure, soil properties and soil diversity of fungi, bacteria and mesofauna after two periods of targeted grazing (a year and a half after the burning). The response to pyric herbivory differed among soil organisms. Fungi were more sensitive to burning than bacteria, but both recovered a year and a half after burning –fungi only recovered in the presence of grazing–. Grazing increased soil fungi and bacteria diversity indexes (∼20 % and ∼5 % increase, respectively) at the two sites. A year and a half after burning, burned and ungrazed areas had a 30 % more mesofauna diversity than control areas whereas grazing of the burned areas decreased mesofauna diversity by 30 % at one of the sites compared to the control. Since the responses to pyric herbivory vary among soil organisms, a wide range of management intensities across space and time are recommended for maximizing soil biodiversity.

The role of tree canopies in protecting soil functional diversity is essential for ecosystems threatened by the longer lasting periods of drought, which are predicted to increase in the southern afro-tropical region. Nonetheless, biodiversity inventories of soil mesofauna are scarce in afro-tropical ecosystems, even in emblematic and well-studied protected areas, such as the Gorongosa National Park (GNP). Understanding the interrelationships between tree canopies and soil fauna functional diversity can provide insightful information for future adaptive management to protect wildlife and ecosystem services in the GNP, in the context of climate change. Here we assessed collembolan functional type richness and functional diversity in the dry period and during the rainfall across major GNP habitat types: miombo forests, mixed forests, and open savanna/floodplains. Besides the significant positive influence of rainfall, habitat types also influenced functional type’ richness and diversity of collembolan life-forms. Environmental gradients across habitat types, namely the area of tree canopy cover and its indirect effect on soil local conditions (pH and nutrient availability), explained collembolan functional parameters. Calcium concentrations and soil alkalinity significantly enhanced collembolan functional type richness and functional diversity, respectively. Collembola survival across GNP habitats depended on the canopy buffering in the dry sampling period. These results highlight the key role of tree canopies in creating suitable microhabitat conditions supporting soil functional diversity and the sustainability of soil processes and ecosystem services in GNP.

Soil mesofauna plays an important role in decomposing organic matter, recycling nutrients, and increasing nutrient availability. The effects of nitrogen (N) deposition and reduced precipitation on the litter-dwelling mesofaunal community and how this process affects litter decomposition remain poorly understood. Herein, a two-year simulated N deposition and throughfall reduction experiment was carried out in a natural evergreen broad-leaved subtropical forest to examine the effects of N deposition and reduced precipitation on soil mesofauna during litter decomposition. Four treatments were established: control (CK), N deposition (N), reduced precipitation (RP), and combined N deposition and reduced precipitation (N + RP). We collected and identified 19,782 individuals of mesofauna in litterbags during the whole experiment. Mites (Prostigmata, Mesostigmata, and Oribatida) and Collembola comprised almost 90% of the total number of individuals collected and dominated the soil mesofauna in our study. Our results revealed the negative effects of N deposition on the density of Oribatida mites and Collembola and the total density of soil mesofauna. Reduced precipitation significantly increased the density of Collembola and Oribatida mites and the total density of mesofauna and marginally significantly increased the density of Mesostigmata mites but decreased the diversity of mesofauna. The interaction effects of N deposition and reduced precipitation significantly affected the density of Prostigmata mites, Oribatida mites, Collembola, and the diversity of mesofauna. N deposition combined with reduced precipitation significantly inhibited litter decomposition, whereas no significant interaction effects were observed. Furthermore, correlation analysis indicated that litter mass loss was significantly positively correlated with the density of Prostigmata, Mesostigmata, and Oribatida, as well as the diversity of mesofauna. Overall, during the two-year decomposition process, our results suggest that N deposition and reduced precipitation interactively affected mesofaunal diversity and that N deposition adversely affected the mesofaunal community, while reduced precipitation increased the density of some groups but decreased mesofaunal diversity, consequently cascading on the decomposition of leaf litter.