Taxonomic diversity of litter and soil invertebrates and the structure of dominance of their communities under the influence of natural afforestation of model plots in Western Polissia

Abstract

Background. Composition of tree species plays an important role in the structural and functional organization of soil invertebrates during the process of afforestation, which affects the trophic structure of soil invertebrate communities. The accumulation of dead plant residues depends on trophic specialization of the mesofauna complex, where saprophaga plays a significant role, particularly under the conditions of an increasing variety and thickness of litter. The aim of the research is to determine the current status of taxonomic diversity of litter-soil mesofauna, as well as the structural and functional organization of their communities in model plots with natural afforestation in Western Polissia. Materials and Methods. The model plots are located on the area of Western Polissia that belongs to the mixed forest zone with the dominance of pine; meadow vegetation is located on the places of drained swamps or logged forests. The studied model plots are located in Kolesa (six transects) and Kulevytske tracts (three transects). The sampling of litter-soil mesofauna was accomplished in 2019 by means of Barber pitfall traps, and its inventory was conducted by standard in soil zoology methods. Results and Discussion. The conducted research revealed high taxonomic diversity of litter-soil mesofauna on the transects of both model plots. Altogether we found the representatives of about 170 genera of 64 families from 6 classes of 3 phyla. The diversity of invertebrates within Kolesa model plot (180 taxa) is a bit lower compared to Kulevytske one (200 taxa). The obtained data allow us to estimate the changes taking place in the mesofauna communities under the influence of natural afforestation process. Despite the fact that all the invertebrate communities consist of approximately the same number of species (taxa) and have similar quantitative indicators of dynamic density, they show their own specifics in terms of the ratio of invertebrate trophic specialization. Conclusion. The study found that litter-soil invertebrates are largely dependent on the composition of ecosystem plant component and the condition of the habitat created during the ecological succession. Considering the investigated transects as separate biogeocoenotic ecosystems, we can conclude that the more vegetation approaches its natural status (forest), the more dominant saprophaga trophic group of mesofauna becomes.