Subproject 8: Soil macrofauna
The effects of tree and shrub species diversity on functional aspects and diversity of soil macrofauna in a “biodiversity hotspot”
PI: Thorsten Assmann (University of Lueneburg)
Summary
In many soil types the macrofauna plays the major role in facilitating the decomposition process of litter and wood. In biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) experiments the soil macrofauna has hardly been studied. By using pitfall traps and soil sample extractions we address whether species number of different taxonomic groups of soil macrofauna depends on tree and/or shrub diversity and, in addition, whether there is a relationship of occurrence and diversity of functional groups of the soil macrofauna with phytodiversity. Furthermore, this subproject will test the effect of litter and wood diversity on the dominating soil macrofauna decomposer groups, i.e. isopods and epigeic lumbricids. By using a litter and wood decomposition experiment with litter bags of different mesh sizes we want to determine the promoting influence of macrofauna on litter- and wood-decay. The densities of the dominating soil macrofauna decomposer groups in the study area will be manipulated in enclosures and runoff plots to quantify their effect on litter decomposition and soil erosion.