Changes in Biomass and Diversity of Soil Macrofauna along a Climatic Gradient in European Boreal Forests

Bibliographic Details
Title: Changes in Biomass and Diversity of Soil Macrofauna along a Climatic Gradient in European Boreal Forests
Authors: Mikhail V. Kozlov, Vitali Zverev, Vladimir I. Gusarov, Daniil I. Korobushkin, Nina P. Krivosheina, Jaakko Mattila, Marko Mutanen, Anna Popova, Alexander S. Prosvirov, Pekka Punttila, Guy Söderman, Marzena Stańska, Astrid Taylor, Varpu Vahtera, Natalia A. Zubrii, Elena L. Zvereva
Source: Insects, Vol 13, Iss 1, p 94 (2022)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2022.
Publication Year: 2022
Collection: LCC:Science
Subject Terms: climate change, biomass, biotic interactions, diversity, environmental gradient, feeding guilds, Science
More Details: Latitudinal gradients allow insights into the factors that shape ecosystem structure and delimit ecosystem processes, particularly climate. We asked whether the biomass and diversity of soil macrofauna in boreal forests change systematically along a latitudinal gradient spanning from 60° N to 69° N. Invertebrates (3697 individuals) were extracted from 400 soil samples (20 × 20 cm, 30 cm depth) collected at ten sites in 2015–2016 and then weighed and identified. We discovered 265 species living in soil and on the soil surface; their average density was 0.486 g d·w·m−2. The species-level diversity decreased from low to high latitudes. The biomass of soil macrofauna showed no latitudinal changes in early summer but decreased towards the north in late summer. This variation among study sites was associated with the decrease in mean annual temperature by ca 5 °C and with variation in fine root biomass. The biomass of herbivores and fungivores decreased towards the north, whereas the biomass of detritivores and predators showed no significant latitudinal changes. This variation in latitudinal biomass patterns among the soil macrofauna feeding guilds suggests that these guilds may respond differently to climate change, with poorly understood consequences for ecosystem structure and functions.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2075-4450
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/13/1/94; https://doaj.org/toc/2075-4450
DOI: 10.3390/insects13010094
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/45e4f442f9974720bbc8ad2cb86b5187
Accession Number: edsdoj.45e4f442f9974720bbc8ad2cb86b5187
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:20754450
DOI:10.3390/insects13010094
Published in:Insects
Language:English