三瓶演習林における土壌小型節足動物の群集構造に及ぼす土壌団粒の影響

We examined how soil macro aggregates effect on community structure of soil micro-arthropods in a broad-leaf forest. We experimentally settled soil column made by soil macro aggregate and fine soil in the field condition, then compared soil arthropod communities in the soil column to those in the field soil. While abundance of soil arthropods in experimentally settled soil macroaggregate and fine soil increased compared to intact soil, taxonomic richness and diversity indices decreased in the soil aggregate community. Especially, proportion of collembola greatly increased in macro-aggregate and fine soil communities, suggesting that homogenized habitat environment in the experimental soil settlement may be suitable for some collembolan species. Similar community structure of soil arthropods was observed within the experimental soil column, while those in the field soil exhibited diverse community each other. This may be due to heterogeneity of soil condition in the field soil.