Effects of soil fauna on leaf litter decomposition under different land uses in eastern coast of China  

作　　者：Baoling Yang Wenwen Zhang Hanmei Xu Shaojun Wang Xia Xu Huan Fan Han Y. H. Chen Honghua Ruan 

机构地区：[1]Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China [2]School of Jiangsu Vocational College of Agriculture and Forestry, Jurong 212400, People's Republic of China [3]Shanghai Forestry Station, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China [4]College of Environment Science and Engineering, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, People's Republic of China [5]Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1, Canada

出　　处：《Journal of Forestry Research》2018年第4期968-977,共10页林业研究（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program,2012CB416904);partially supported by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)

摘　　要：Soil fauna decompose litter, whereas land use changes may significantly alter the composition and structure of soil fauna assemblages. However, little is known of the effects of land-use on the contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition. We studied the impacts of soil fauna on the decomposition of litter from poplar trees under three different land uses （i.e. poplar-crop integrated system, poplar plantation, and cropland）, from December 2013 to December 2014, in a coastal area of Northern Jiangsu Province. We collected litter samples in litterbags with three mesh sizes （5, 1 and 0. 01 mm, respectively） to quantify the contribution of various soil fauna to the decomposition of poplar leaf litter. Litter decomposition rates differed significantly by land use and were highest in the cropland, intermediate in the poplar-crop integrated system, and lowest in the poplar plantation. Soil fauna in the poplar-crop integrated system was characterized by the highest numbers of taxa and individuals, and highest Margalef＇s diversity, which suggested that agro-forestry ecosystems may support a greater quantity, distribution, and biodiversity of soil fauna than can single-species agriculture or plantation forestry. The individuals and groups of soil fauna in the macro-mesh litterbags were higher than in the meso-mesh litterbags underthe same land use types. The average contribution rate of meso- and micro-fauna to litter decomposition was 18.46%, which was higher than the contribution rate of macro-fauna （3.31%）. The percentage of remaining litter mass was inversely related to the density of the soil fauna （P 〈 0.05） in poplar plantations; however, was unrelated in the poplar-crop integrated system and cropland. This may have been the result of anthropogenic interference in poplar-crop integrated systems and croplands. Our study suggested that when land-use change alters vegetation types, it can affect species composition and the structure of soil fauna assemblages, which, in turn, affects litter decSoil fauna decompose litter, whereas land use changes may significantly alter the composition and structure of soil fauna assemblages. However, little is known of the effects of land-use on the contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition. We studied the impacts of soil fauna on the decomposition of litter from poplar trees under three different land uses （i.e. poplar-crop integrated system, poplar plantation, and cropland）, from December 2013 to December 2014, in a coastal area of Northern Jiangsu Province. We collected litter samples in litterbags with three mesh sizes （5, 1 and 0. 01 mm, respectively） to quantify the contribution of various soil fauna to the decomposition of poplar leaf litter. Litter decomposition rates differed significantly by land use and were highest in the cropland, intermediate in the poplar-crop integrated system, and lowest in the poplar plantation. Soil fauna in the poplar-crop integrated system was characterized by the highest numbers of taxa and individuals, and highest Margalef＇s diversity, which suggested that agro-forestry ecosystems may support a greater quantity, distribution, and biodiversity of soil fauna than can single-species agriculture or plantation forestry. The individuals and groups of soil fauna in the macro-mesh litterbags were higher than in the meso-mesh litterbags underthe same land use types. The average contribution rate of meso- and micro-fauna to litter decomposition was 18.46%, which was higher than the contribution rate of macro-fauna （3.31%）. The percentage of remaining litter mass was inversely related to the density of the soil fauna （P 〈 0.05） in poplar plantations; however, was unrelated in the poplar-crop integrated system and cropland. This may have been the result of anthropogenic interference in poplar-crop integrated systems and croplands. Our study suggested that when land-use change alters vegetation types, it can affect species composition and the structure of soil fauna assemblages, which, in turn, affects litter dec

关 键 词：Mesh sizes POPLAR Leaf litter Soil fauna Litter decomposition 

分 类 号：S154[农业科学—土壤学] S714[农业科学—农业基础科学]