Search Results (102)

Soil fauna represent an important component of terrestrial ecosystems and serve as sensitive bioindicators of environmental changes and the intensity of anthropogenic disturbances. Our research was conducted between 2020 and 2023 across 15 habitats differing in management intensity. Soil fauna were sampled using pitfall traps. A total of 88,112 individuals belonging to 18 taxa were recorded. Community variability was assessed using redundancy analysis (RDA), which revealed a clear differentiation between managed and unmanaged habitats. The results indicated that more soil fauna preferred more stable and less disturbed environments, whereas managed sites exhibited greater heterogeneity of soil fauna communities. Statistical analyses confirmed significant differences in individual abundance among study areas (1–15), years (2020–2023), and seasons (Friedman test, p = 0.016; Kruskal–Wallis test, p < 0.001), highlighting the substantial influence of habitat characteristics and seasonal dynamics on the structure of soil fauna. The predictive models suggested the persistence of natural population fluctuations without a pronounced long-term decline in abundance. The findings provide valuable information for optimizing habitat management, evaluating the effectiveness of restoration measures, and supporting biodiversity conservation in ecosystems of European importance. Full article

Biodegradable film mulching has been developed as promising alternative to overcome the adverse effects posed by conventional polyethylene film mulching in cropping systems. However, evidence regarding whether conventional polyethylene and biodegradable film mulching affect soil fauna in cropping systems still remains unknown. This study was therefore designed to examine the differences in the responses of soil fauna and selected physicochemical parameters under different mulch treatments, i.e., polyethylene film mulch (PE), biodegradable film mulches (BMs1–5), biodegradable paper (BP) and no-mulch control (CK), in a rice cropland. The results demonstrated that all mulch treatments significantly increased soil temperature (p < 0.001) and reduced soil pH (p < 0.05) and electrical conductivity (p < 0.01) without significantly affecting soil organic content and water content compared to CK. Regarding soil fauna, during the growing stage, the abundance of soil fauna under all of the mulch treatments declined (39%) compared to CK. However, during the harvesting stage, soil faunal abundance was 54% and 45% higher under BP and BMs, respectively, compared with PE. No significant differences were observed in richness, diversity, or evenness among the mulch treatments. This study provides insight into the benefits of environmentally friendly film mulching in terms of biodiversity conservation and soil health. Full article

This study evaluates the effects of Eucalyptus camaldulensis stands established within the ramblas of the Tabernas Desert (SE Spain) on ant communities used as ecological bioindicators. Ants were sampled using pitfall traps in four eucalyptus stands and adjacent areas of natural vegetation between 2017 and 2024. Diversity indices, species accumulation curves, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), PERMANOVA, and indicator species analyses were conducted. The results show that, although the total number of species is similar in both environments, eucalyptus ecosystems present significantly higher diversity and evenness, also harboring a notable presence of the specialist genus Temnothorax, which is typical of structured habitats. In the context of extreme aridity, these tree formations act as hybrid ecosystems that increase landscape heterogeneity, providing refuge and microclimatic regulation. Therefore, from a sustainable management perspective, the study advises against the drastic eradication or clear-cutting of this non-native species, as this could destabilize the soil and worsen habitat degradation. Instead, it is recommended to use their current structure transitorily as an “ecological bridge,” applying selective thinning to facilitate the progressive and safe recovery of native flora and fauna. Full article

Soil meso- and micro-fauna are key components of forest soil ecosystems, but the effects of converting natural forests to monoculture or mixed plantations on their communities remain unclear. This study compared soil meso- and micro-fauna communities in monoculture (broad-leaved and coniferous) and mixed plantations converted from secondary forests in Northeast China. Results showed that monocultures significantly altered faunal community composition and reduced diversity, whereas mixed plantations maintained similar abundance and diversity to secondary forests. For instance, broadleaf monocultures exhibited a 15–23% lower Shannon–Wiener diversity index, while coniferous monocultures displayed a 28–35% reduction in soil faunal abundance. Notably, different taxonomic groups responded inconsistently to stand type conversion: Oribatida (58.8–72.5% of total individuals) varied significantly among stands (p < 0.001), whereas Collembola (18.8–31.4%) was more affected by season. The community composition was significantly correlated with understory plant diversity/coverage and soil C/N ratio, while α-diversity was mainly driven by total nitrogen. Our findings reveal that mixed plantations, instead of monocultures, are more effective for soil biodiversity conservation, which offers sustainable strategies for forest management. Full article

Extreme heat is an increasing risk for dryland fauna, making it important to understand how landscape features influence thermal conditions. This study used drone-based thermal mapping to measure fine-scale temperature variation across two Australian dryland sites during summer. It examined how landform, fire history, vegetation cover, and grazing affected surface temperatures. Temperatures varied widely, from 6 to 36 °C in the morning to 24–80 °C in the afternoon. Vegetation coverage did not significantly affect surface temperatures. Landform strongly influenced temperature patterns: sand dunes were cooler than swales in the morning but hotter in the afternoon. Dunes also showed more fragmented and patchy thermal environments, likely due to uneven vegetation, steeper slopes, and soil properties. These conditions may offer greater opportunities for animals to regulate body temperature behaviourally. Fire significantly altered thermal landscapes. Recently burned areas were hotter and had more fragmented thermal patches, creating harsher conditions for diurnal species. In contrast, grazing exclusion had minimal effect, though areas without introduced herbivores showed more stable temperatures. Overall, fire and landform shape thermal mosaics by influencing both temperature levels and spatial patterns. Maintaining diverse thermal environments is likely critical for supporting thermoregulation and species survival under increasing heat extremes. Full article

Terrestrial environments function as major sinks and dynamic sources of microplastics. Land use strongly influences inputs, accumulation, and transport pathways of these contaminants in the environment. Despite the extensive literature, few reviews have compared contamination levels and the potential impacting factors across land uses. To fill this gap, this review synthesizes current knowledge on the origins, occurrence, pathways, and ecological effects of microplastics across diverse land uses. The review revealed multiple interconnected pathways that drive microplastic contamination in terrestrial systems. Abundances are consistently higher in intensively managed croplands, urban areas and industrial vicinities. However, their detection in remote environments underscores the critical role of diffuse inputs and long-range atmospheric transport. Vertically, microplastics are enriched in topsoils, and their concentrations declines with depth. Horizontally, concentration declines with increasing distance from major hotspots like agricultural fields, industrial facilities, and road networks. Ecologically, microplastics alter soil physical properties, modify chemical conditions, and shift microbial community composition and enzyme activities. Furthermore, they stress soil fauna and plants through ingestion, toxicity, and physical blockage, with impacts contingent on polymer type, particle morphology, and concentration. Collectively, this review reveals consistent spatial patterns and widespread adverse ecological impacts, highlighting the clear need for integrated management strategies to mitigate terrestrial microplastic pollution. Full article

Although soil nematodes are central to belowground energy flow, how vegetation and soil aggregate characteristics interactively regulate the nematode community structure and energy dynamics remains poorly understood. We investigated 80 soil samples from five vegetation types—Prunus armeniaca L. (AV), Pinus tabuliformis Carrière (PT), Caragana korshinskii (CK), Medicago sativa L. (MS), and native grass Stipa bungeana (SB)—and four aggregate sizes (LMA > 2 mm, MMA 0.25–2 mm, SMA 0.053–0.25 mm, and MA < 0.053 mm) on the Loess Plateau. Vegetation types showed clear functional differentiation, in which AV dominated bacterivore diversity and energy flux in LMA, CK enhanced fungivore and herbivore energy flow, SB supported omnivore–carnivore energy flux, and PT exhibited suppressed communities. Fauna analysis of the EI (enrichment index)–SI (structural index) plot revealed aggregate-dependent food web structuring, where all vegetation types clustered in quadrant C (structured, low enrichment) in small aggregates, while PT and MS shifted to quadrant D (structured, enriched) in larger aggregates. SEM showed that energy flux and energy uniformity are driven by nematode abundance (p < 0.01) and diversity (p < 0.01), respectively, with soil aggregates promoting uniformity (p < 0.05) but suppressing total flux (p < 0.05), thus revealing a trade-off between energy throughput and distribution equity. CK maximizes total energy flux, while AV maintains high energy uniformity; as such, they could be keystone restoration species in the study area. This study provides mechanistic insights into soil food web energetics and offers an empirical foundation for optimizing vegetation restoration strategies on the Loess Plateau. Full article

Microplastics can bind with toxic metals via surface complexation and chelation, forming combined pollutants. However, research regarding the toxicological impacts of these combined pollutants on soil fauna remains limited. This study employed Folsomia candida in a 28-day incubation experiment to investigate the ecotoxicological effects of combined pollution by polylactic acid microplastics (PLA-MPs) and thallium (Tl) on the functional traits of Folsomia candida, including biology, morphology, and gut microbiota. The results showed that the combined effects of PLA-MPs and Tl on these functional traits were characterized by amplified toxicity and trait-specific responses. Morphological traits exhibited lower sensitivity to the pollution treatments compared to other indicators. Exposure to high-concentration PLA-MPs (10%) significantly affected mortality and fecundity, and reduced gut bacterial diversity. Conversely, low-concentration Tl (1 mg/kg) significantly inhibited body length and antenna length while increasing gut bacterial diversity. Structured equation modeling further revealed that the pollution treatments exerted significant negative effects on the functional traits of Folsomia candida, both directly and indirectly by altering soil properties and soil microbiota. These findings provide valuable insights into the ecotoxicological effects of combined PLA-MPs and Tl pollution on soil fauna, contributing to ecological health risk assessments of microplastics and toxic metals in terrestrial ecosystems. Full article

Soil-dwelling predatory mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) are key components of decomposer-based soil food webs and contribute to the regulation of soil microarthropods, including agricultural pests. Despite their ecological and applied importance, the predatory mite fauna of Slovenia has remained poorly documented. This study provides the first systematic inventory of soil-dwelling mesostigmatid mites in Slovenia, based on standardized sampling conducted between July and October 2024 and between June and September 2025. Samples were collected from a range of organic substrates, including stable manure, compost, vermicompost, decomposing plant material and forest litter, and mites were extracted using a modified Berlese–Tullgren method. In total, 31 predatory mite taxa belonging to nine families were recorded, with all species except Macrocheles glaber being reported for the first time in Slovenia. Diversity analyses, based on species richness, Shannon index and minimum confirmed abundance, revealed clear differences in community structure among substrate types. Manure- and compost-based substrates showed the highest species richness and abundance, whereas forest litter supported lower diversity but more even communities. Several recorded genera include species with documented or potential relevance for the suppression of soil-dwelling pests such as Rhizoglyphus spp. These findings provide baseline data for future faunistic, ecological and applied research and improve our understanding of predatory mite communities in organically enriched agroecosystems. Full article

Erosion in intensively farmed landscapes threatens above- and below-ground biodiversity. While impacts on soil physical and chemical properties (which affect soil inhabiting biota) are well documented, effects on ground-associated fauna (distribution, diversity, abundance) remain less understood. A likely very strong factor is the direct transport of epigeon together with the eroded soil. We assessed how water-erosion processes shape communities of epigeic invertebrates along agricultural slopes in the Chernozem region of South Moravia (Czech Republic). Ground-dwelling invertebrates were sampled over five years (May–September) in conventionally managed maize fields using pitfall traps across 18 sloping fields. Three slope positions were compared per field (control, erosional, depositional; 54 positions in total). Community patterns were evaluated using Canonical Correspondence Analysis with covariates (month, year, slope position, site), and species responses to key drivers were analysed using Generalised Additive Models. Across the full dataset, Shannon diversity and species richness did not differ significantly among slope positions; however, total invertebrate abundance was significantly lower in erosional parts. Interannual variation was pronounced and linked to precipitation: wet conditions increased diversity and richness at depositional positions, whereas dry conditions reduced diversity downslope. Ordination and GAM results identified erosion intensity and relative precipitation/temperature anomalies as important predictors, with most dominant species showing higher abundances under low to moderate erosion. These findings indicate that epigeic invertebrate communities along slopes can serve as indicators of erosion force. Full article

When cold waves occur in winter, the entire vineyard greenhouse is completely covered with plastic film to improve heat insulation. However, differences in vertical stratification of soil faunal communities between pre-sealing (PSP) and sealing periods (SP) have not been fully quantified. We compared soil fauna communities and hydrothermal nutrient conditions between PSP and SP in standardized protected vineyards, sampling 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm soil layers. Community traits were analyzed via paired Wilcoxon tests and mixed-effects models, while compositional differentiation was assessed using PCoA/PERMANOVA, NMDS/ANOSIM, and redundancy analysis with hierarchical partitioning. Soil fauna abundance decreased significantly in SP, with sharp declines in 0–10 and 20–30 cm layers, whereas the 10–20 cm layer showed minimal shifts. Taxon richness and alpha-diversity indices exhibited no consistent stage-specific variations. Inter-layer compositional differentiation intensified in SP, indicating enhanced vertical community stratification. Depth-specific analysis revealed the main drivers of community shifts: SOC and C: N in 0–10 cm, pH and C: N in 10–20 cm, and moisture and temperature in 20–30 cm. Overall, we observed layer-dependent shifts in soil microenvironments and faunal communities between PSP and SP, suggesting that soil depth should be considered in protected vineyard management. Full article

Słowiński National Park is one of the 23 national parks in Poland and one of the two situated on the Baltic Coast in the country. It was established in 1967 to protect the most valuable ecosystems: coastal lakes, marshes, peat bogs, meadows, forests, and, above all, the dune belt of the Łebska Spit with its unique moving dunes. We aimed to 1. determine the species diversity and structure of thrips assemblages in the most important biotopes of the Park; 2. determine the geographical distribution and food preferences of thrips species; and 3. determine which environmental factors influence the diversity of insect assemblages and which thrips species distinguish these assemblages. The method used in the quantitative research was based on the use of a scoop method; it was supplemented by qualitative research (shaking branches of trees and searching for insects on their host plants). The studies were carried out in 1991 and 1999–2001 in fourteen plant associations. A total of 90 thrips species (nearly 40% of the Polish fauna) were recorded, including 71 in quantitative and 74 in qualitative samples. The study also revealed a significant correlation between the thrips assemblage composition and the following environmental factors: soil moisture, light intensity, general nutrient availability, and soil salinity. In addition, the thrips species with the most significant impact on assemblage composition were identified. The relatively high number of species found, including Taeniothrips zurstrassenii Zawirska, a species new to science, and others rarely recorded in Poland, highlights the value of the SNP habitat diversity in maintaining high Thysanoptera diversity. Full article

Intensive greenhouse management profoundly alters soil biogeochemical processes and biotic interactions, distinguishing greenhouse soils from open-field systems. Understanding the drivers of soil fauna assembly is essential for sustaining soil health and productivity. In this study, we examined nematode community drivers in greenhouse melon systems under 2- and 10-year rotations using environmental DNA sequencing. Plant phenology, more than rotation, shaped nematode communities, particularly omnivore predators and bacterivores. This driver was mirrored by a shift in nematode faunal indices from an enriched, bacterial-dominated state at seedling stages to a structured state at maturity. LDA Effect Size and random forest identified key genera (Prismatolaimus, Acrobeloides, and Ceramonema), demonstrating multidimensional drivers of community assembly. Redundancy analysis showed soil organic matter (SOM) and acid phosphatase as major drivers. Mantel tests indicated that the microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen ratio (MBC/MBN) consistently explained community variation (relative abundance: r = 0.229; functional diversity: r = 0.321). Structural equation modeling linked available phosphorus to microbial carbon cycling via cumulative carbon mineralization (CCM, 0.41) and MBC (0.40). SOM increased MBN (0.62) but suppressed Chao1 (−0.76). MBN had the strongest positive effect on Pielou_e (0.49). pH negatively affected functional diversity (−0.33), while nitrate nitrogen (0.35) and CCM (0.32) had positive effects. Our results indicate that MBC and MBN act as microbial bridges linking soil properties to nematode diversity, providing a mechanistic basis for optimizing greenhouse soil management and ecosystem functioning. Full article

Forest canopy opening can significantly affect understory environment and thus further influence the communities of soil biota, but this has not been well quantified in the literature. Here, using meta-analysis method, we evaluated the effects of forest canopy opening on soil fauna density and diversity as well as microbial biomass using 4056 paired observations. We found that (1) as a whole, forest canopy opening showed positive effects on soil fauna communities, significantly increasing the density of total soil fauna by 70.5%, and the total richness, Margalef index, and fungi abundance by 33.1, 30.0, and 64.1%, respectively; (2) canopy opening significantly decreased the Pielou index, bacteria abundance, and soil microbial biomass phosphorus concentration by 16.0, 20.9, and 21.0%, respectively, but did not affect microbial biomass carbon or nitrogen concentration; and (3) forest canopy opening effects on soil biota were regulated by latitude, elevation, climate, canopy opening size, and soil pH, with canopy opening size being the most important factor. Overall, our results demonstrate significantly positive impacts of forest canopy opening on soil fauna and fungi abundance but negative influences on other microbes, which will help us to better understand and predict the responses of soil biota to environmental changes and provide theoretical references for forest management and biodiversity conservation under future environmental change scenarios. Full article

For the first time, studies have been conducted aiming at the diversity of the oribatid mites (Oribatida) that inhabit the nests of open-nesting birds of the genus thrushes (Turdus), particularly fieldfare (T. pilaris Linnaeus, 1758) and redwing (T. iliacus Linnaeus, 1766), in the taiga forests of the European north-east. Long-term observations were carried out in the green belt of the city of Syktyvkar (N 61°40′ E 50°50′) in 2021–2025. Among 168 studied thrush nests (fieldfare—138, redwing—30), 1982 specimens of oribatid mites of 35 species from 33 genera and 26 families were found. The nests of thrushes contain a mixed fauna of oribatid mites, including the following: (a) Soil species that obviously enter the nest with building materials collected by birds from the soil surface. These are epigeic species such as Eupelops plicatus, Neoribates aurantiacus, and Chamobates pusillus; hemi-edaphic species such as Heminothrus peltifer; and euedaphic species such as Oppiella nova and Quadroppia quadricarinata. (b) Tree-dwelling species that have been recorded as inhabiting epiphytic lichens in the European north-east, such as Ameronothrus oblongus, Ceratoppia quadridentata, Oribatula propinqua, Trichoribates berlesei, and Diapterobates oblongus. (c) Eurybiont species such as Tectocepheus velatus, Scheloribates laevigatus, and Oribatula tibialis. An increase in the number and diversity of oribatid mites was noted in nests collected after the end of the nesting period and the flight of chicks compared to nests collected in the spring (overwintered nests). Full article