Tree-mediated soil and litter properties drive soil fauna
community composition by reshaping predators and
saprophages

doi:10.1093/jpe/rtag036

Abstract

Abstract: Aims Tree species can shape soil fauna communities by modifying both soil environment and litter properties, but their independent influences remain poorly understood due to natural covariation.
Methods To disentangle the drivers of soil and litter properties, we conducted a litter reciprocal transplant experiment in a subtropical common garden established in 2012, selecting three tree species with distinct litter properties: Castanopsis (Castanopsis carlesii, evergreen broadleaf), fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata, evergreen coniferous), and sweetgum (Liquidambar formosana, deciduous broadleaf). Over a completely broadleaf litter decomposition period from March to October 2024, soil fauna communities were monitored across all plantation-litter combinations.
Important Findings We found that Entomobryidae dominated soil fauna community, and saprophages were the most abundant functional group (46.76%) regardless of plantation types and litter types. Tree-mediated soil environment rather than litter was the primary driver of total fauna abundance (57.10% variation explained), taxon number (78.60%), diversity (68.90%), and evenness (72.40%). Compared with other plantation types, the Castanopsis forest stand supported a higher soil fauna abundance. Litter properties exhibited another considerable explanatory power for soil fauna abundance (42.90%). Higher soil fauna abundance was detected in sweetgum than fir litter, with marked differences at early/middle decomposition stages (29–63 days). Predators/saprophages were more sensitive to changes in habitat conditions than herbivores/omnivores. Key regulators of tree species on soil fauna during litter decomposition included soil moisture and nitrogen content in soil environment as well as mass remaining and carbon content in litter properties. These findings advance understanding of tree species effects on soil fauna, supporting subtropical forest biodiversity conservation and sustainable management.

Tree species shape soil fauna communities by modifying soil environment and litter properties. Here, a litter reciprocal transplant experiment demonstrates that tree-mediated soil environment is the primary driver of soil fauna community composition. Notably, predators and saprophages are more sensitive to changes in habitat conditions than herbivores and omnivores.

Key words: biodiversity, functional groups, litter decomposition, reciprocal transplant experiment, litter properties, subtropical forest

摘要：
树种可以通过改变土壤环境与凋落物性质来塑造土壤动物群落，但其独立影响因两者之间的自然协变仍未被充分认知。
为了解析土壤与凋落物性质对土壤动物群落组成的驱动机制，本研究在2012年建立的亚热带同质园实验平台选择了3个凋落物性质差异显著的树种：常绿阔叶树米槠(Castanopsis carlesii)、常绿针叶树杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)和落叶阔叶树枫香(Liquidambar formosana)，开展凋落物交互移置实验。在2024年3月至10月的完整凋落物分解周期内，对所有林分-凋落物组合中的土壤动物群落进行了监测。
结果表明，无论林分与凋落物类型如何，长角?科(Entomobryidae)均为土壤动物群落中的优势类群，腐食者的丰度占比最高(46.76%)。树种介导的土壤环境(而非凋落物)是解释土壤动物总丰度(57.10%)、类群数(78.60%)、多样性(68.90%)以及均匀度(72.40%)变异的主要驱动因素。与其他林分类型相比，米槠林支持更高的土壤动物丰度。凋落物性质对土壤动物丰度同样具有重要解释力(42.90%)。枫香凋落物中的土壤动物丰度高于杉木凋落物，且在分解早期/中期(29–63天)的差异尤为显著。捕食者和腐食者对生境条件变化的敏感性高于植食者和杂食者。在凋落物分解过程中，树种影响土壤动物群落组成的关键调控因子包括：土壤环境中的土壤湿度与氮含量，以及凋落物的质量残留与碳含量。研究结果深化了对树种影响土壤动物群落机制的理解，为亚热带森林生物多样性保护与可持续经营提供科学依据。

关键词: 生物多样性, 功能群, 凋落物分解, 交互移置实验, 凋落物性质, 亚热带森林

Xiaohao Lin, Hongrong Guo, Yimai Chen, Yuneng Wang, Huihui Wen, Hongyi Fang, Kai Yue, Xiangyin Ni, Fuzhong Wu. Tree-mediated soil and litter properties drive soil fauna community composition by reshaping predators and saprophages[J]. J Plant Ecol, DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtag036.

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Tree-mediated soil and litter properties drive soil fauna community composition by reshaping predators and saprophages

树种介导的土壤与凋落物性质通过重塑捕食者和腐食者来驱动土壤动物群落组成

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