Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tree species identity governs the soil macrofauna community composition and soil development at reclaimed post-mining sites on calcium-rich clays

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Journal of Forest Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We tested the effect of main soil characteristics and tree species on earthworm community composition and abundance in reclaimed spoil heaps planted with five different tree species. Earthworm and soil macroarthropod abundance and biomass were highest in alder plantations, followed by oak plantations. The numbers of soil macrofauna were positively correlated with the total soil N content, which was highest in alder plantation. The correlation was strongest for endogeic earthworms (genus Aporrectodea and Octolasion). Soil moisture, measured in top 10 cm, affected only endogeic species. Other soil variables (pH, Ca) did not have a strong effect on earthworms. The earthworm community composition was similar in alder and oak, with most species occurring at both types of forest; however, in alder forest the epigeic species Dendrobaena octaedra was more common, whilst in oak forest the epigeic earthworms form genus Lumbricus were more abundant (L. rubellus and L. castaneus). The anecic species Aporrectodea longa was more abundant at alder sites, but L. terrestris was more abundant under oak. The alder forest was characteristic by a thick humus layer (10–15 cm), which at oak and larch sites was thinner (4–7 cm) and at pine and spruce stands was absent. Soil compaction was lower under the deciduous trees (alder, oak, larch), than under spruce and pine. We conclude that the alder plantations have most palatable litter and lowest C/N ratio and therefore support the highest numbers of soil macrofauna, which affects the humus layer thickness and soil compaction in the surface layers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersson S, Nilsson SI, Saetre P (2000) Leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in mor humus as affected by temperature and pH. Soil Biol Biochem 32:1–10

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bartuška M, Pawlett M, Frouz J (2015) Particulate organic carbon at reclaimed and unreclaimed post-mining soils and its microbial community composition. CATENA 131:92–98

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blouin M, Hodson ME, Delgado EA, Baker G, Brussaard L, Butt KR, Dai J, Dendooven L, Pérès G, Tondoh J (2013) A review of earthworm impact on soil function and ecosystem services. Eur J Soil Sci 64:161–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Branquart E, Kime R, Dufrêne M, Tavernier J, Wauthy G (1995) Macroarthropod-habitat relationships in oak forests in South Belgium. 1. Environments and communities. Pedobiologia 39:243

    Google Scholar 

  • Caro G, Decaëns T, Lecarpentier C, Mathieu J (2013) Are dispersal behaviours of earthworms related to their functional group? Soil Biol Biochem 58:181–187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cesarz S, Craven D, Dietrich C, Eisenhauer N (2016) Effects of soil and leaf litter quality on the biomass of two endogeic earthworm species. Eur J Soil Biol 77:9–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claessens H, Oosterbaan A, Savill P, Rondeux J (2010) A review of the characteristics of black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) and their implications for silvicultural practices. Forestry 83:163–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curry JP (2004) Factors affecting the abundance of earthworms in soils. Earthworm Ecol 9:113

    Google Scholar 

  • De Wandeler H, Sousa-Silva R, Ampoorter E, Bruelheide H, Carnol M, Dawud SM, Dănilă G, Finer L, Hättenschwiler S, Hermy M (2016) Drivers of earthworm incidence and abundance across European forests. Soil Biol Biochem 99:167–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dunger, W. 1989. The return of soil fauna to coal mined areas in the German Democratic Republic. Animals in Primary Succession. The Role of Fauna in Reclaimed Land:307–337

  • Dunger W, Voigtländer K (2005) Assessment of biological soil quality in wooded reclaimed mine sites. Geoderma 129:32–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunger W, Wanner M, Hauser H, Hohberg K, Schulz H-J, Schwalbe T, Seifert B, Vogel J, Voigtländer K, Zimdars B (2001) Development of soil fauna at mine sites during 46 years after afforestation. Pedobiologia 45:243–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dworschak UR (1997) Earthworm populations in a reclaimed lignite open-cast mine of the Rhineland. Eur J Soil Biol 33:75–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Eijsackers H (2011) Earthworms as colonizers of natural and cultivated soil environments. Appl Soil Ecol 50:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhauer N, Marhan S, Scheu S (2008) Assessment of anecic behavior in selected earthworm species: effects on wheat seed burial, seedling establishment, wheat growth and litter incorporation. Appl Soil Ecol 38:79–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eitzinger B, Traugott M (2011) Which prey sustains cold-adapted invertebrate generalist predators in arable land? Examining prey choices by molecular gut-content analysis. J Appl Ecol 48:591–599

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Emmerling C, Strunk H (2012) Active dispersal of the endo-anecic earthworm Aporrectodea longa (Ude) in an experimental box. Soil Org 84:491–498

    Google Scholar 

  • Frouz J, Keplin B, Pižl V, Tajovský K, Starý J, Lukešová A, Nováková A, Balı́k VR, Háněl L, Materna J, Düker C, Chalupský J, Rusek J, Heinkele T (2001) Soil biota and upper soil layer development in two contrasting post-mining chronosequences. Ecol Eng 17:275–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frouz J, Elhottová D, Kuráž V, Šourková M (2006) Effects of soil macrofauna on other soil biota and soil formation in reclaimed and unreclaimed post mining sites: results of a field microcosm experiment. Appl Soil Ecol 33:308–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frouz J, Prach K, Pižl V, Háněl L, Starý J, Tajovský K, Materna J, Balík V, Kalčík J, Řehounková K (2008) Interactions between soil development, vegetation and soil fauna during spontaneous succession in post mining sites. Eur J Soil Biol 44:109–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frouz J, Pižl V, Cienciala E, Kalčík J (2009) Carbon storage in post-mining forest soil, the role of tree biomass and soil bioturbation. Biogeochemistry 94:111–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frouz J, Livečková M, Albrechtová J, Chroňáková A, Cajthaml T, Pižl V, Háněl L, Starý J, Baldrian P, Lhotáková Z (2013) Is the effect of trees on soil properties mediated by soil fauna? A case study from post-mining sites. For Ecol Manag 309:87–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Günther B, Rall BC, Ferlian O, Scheu S, Eitzinger B (2014) Variations in prey consumption of centipede predators in forest soils as indicated by molecular gut content analysis. Oikos 123:1192–1198

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hemerik L, Gort G, Brussaard L (2003) Food preference of wireworms analyzed with multinomial logit models. J Insect Behav 16:647–665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hlava J, Hlavová A, Hakl J, Fér M (2015) Earthworm responses to different reclamation processes in post opencast mining lands during succession. Environ Monit Assess 187:4108

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holdsworth AR, Frelich LE, Reich PB (2012) Leaf litter disappearance in earthworm-invaded northern hardwood forests: role of tree species and the chemistry and diversity of litter. Ecosystems 15:913–926

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horodecki P, Jagodziński AM (2017) Tree species effects on litter decomposition in pure stands on afforested post-mining sites. For Ecol Manag 406:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jänsch S, Steffens L, Höfer H, Horak F, Roß-Nickoll M, Russell D, Toschki A, Römbke J (2013) State of knowledge of earthworm communities in German soils as a basis for biological soil quality assessment. Soil Org 85:215–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Joschko M, Diestel H, Larink O (1989) Assessment of earthworm burrowing efficiency in compacted soil with a combination of morphological and soil physical measurements. Biol Fertil Soils 8:191–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kretzschmar A (1991) Burrowing ability of the earthworm Aporrectodea longa limited by soil compaction and water potential. Biol Fertil Soils 11:48–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Křı́bek B, Strnad, Boháček Z, Sýkorová I, Čejka J, Sobalı́k Z (1998) Geochemistry of Miocene lacustrine sediments from the Sokolov coal basin (Czech Republic). Int J Coal Geol 37:207–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuráž V, Frouz J, Kuráž M, Mako A, Shustr V, Cejpek J, Romanov O, Abakumov E (2012) Changes in some physical properties of soils in the chronosequence of self-overgrown dumps of the Sokolov quarry-dump complex, Czechia. Eurasian Soil Science 45:266–272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lavelle P, Decaëns T, Aubert M, Barot SB, Blouin M, Bureau F, Margerie P, Mora P, Rossi J-P (2006) Soil invertebrates and ecosystem services. Eur J Soil Biol 42:S3–S15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loranger G, Ponge J, Blanchart E, Lavelle P (1998) Impact of earthworms on the diversity of microarthropods in a vertisol (Martinique). Biol Fertil Soils 27:21–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marinissen J, Van den Bosch F (1992) Colonization of new habitats by earthworms. Oecologia 91:371–376

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlich A (1984) Mehlich 3 soil test extractant: a modification of Mehlich 2 extractant. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 15:1409–1416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Migge-Kleian S, McLean MA, Maerz JC, Heneghan L (2006) The influence of invasive earthworms on indigenous fauna in ecosystems previously uninhabited by earthworms. Biol Invasions 8:1275–1285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monroy F, Aira M, Domínguez J (2011) Epigeic earthworms increase soil arthropod populations during first steps of decomposition of organic matter. Pedobiologia 54:93–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mudrák O, Frouz J, Velichová V (2010) Understory vegetation in reclaimed and unreclaimed post-mining forest stands. Ecol Eng 36:783–790

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller KE, Eisenhauer N, Reich PB, Hobbie SE, Chadwick OA, Chorover J, Dobies T, Hale CM, Jagodziński AM, Kałucka I (2016) Light, earthworms, and soil resources as predictors of diversity of 10 soil invertebrate groups across monocultures of 14 tree species. Soil Biol Biochem 92:184–198

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muys B, Granval PH (1997) Earthworms as bio-indicators of forest site quality. Soil Biol Biochem 29:323–328

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neirynck J, Mirtcheva S, Sioen G, Lust N (2000) Impact of Tilia platyphyllos Scop., Fraxinus excelsior L., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Quercus robur L. and Fagus sylvatica L. on earthworm biomass and physico-chemical properties of a loamy topsoil. For Ecol Manage 133:275–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pižl V (1992) Succession of earthworm populations in abandoned fields. Soil Biol Biochem 24:1623–1628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pižl V (2001) Earthworm succession in afforested colliery spoil heaps in the Sokolov region, Czech Republic. Restor Ecol 9:359–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pontégnie M, de Warnaffe GDB, Lebrun P (2005) Impacts of silvicultural practices on the structure of hemi-edaphic macrofauna community. Pedobiologia 49:199–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rawlik M, Kasprowicz M, Jagodziński AM (2018) Differentiation of herb layer vascular flora in reclaimed areas depends on the species composition of forest stands. For Ecol Manag 409:541–551

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roubíčková A, Mudrák O, Frouz J (2012) The effect of belowground herbivory by wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) on performance of Calamagrostis epigejos (L) Roth in post-mining sites. Eur J Soil Biol 50:51–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schelfhout S, Mertens J, Verheyen K, Vesterdal L, Baeten L, Muys B, De Schrijver A (2017) Tree species identity shapes earthworm communities. Forests 8:85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shipitalo M, Le Bayon R (2004) Quantifying the effects of earthworms on soil aggregation and porosity. In: Edwards CA (ed) Earthworm ecology, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 183–200

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Smit R, Olff H (1998) Woody species colonisation in relation to habitat productivity. Plant Ecol 139:203–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Statsoft Inc., (2012) STATISTICA (data analysis software system), ver. 12

  • Šmilauer P, Lepš J (2014) Multivariate analysis of ecological data using CANOCO 5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Šnajdr J, Dobiášová P, Urbanová M, Petránková M, Cajthaml T, Frouz J, Baldrian P (2013) Dominant trees affect microbial community composition and activity in post-mining afforested soils. Soil Biol Biochem 56:105–115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Šourková M, Frouz J, Šantrùčková H (2005) Accumulation of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus during soil formation on alder spoil heaps after brown-coal mining, near Sokolov (Czech Republic). Geoderma 124:203–214

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vacek Z, Vacek S, Podrazsky V, Král J, Bulusek D, Putalová T, Balas M, Kalousková I, Schwarz O (2016) Structural diversity and production of alder stands on former agricultural land at high altitudes. Dendrobiology 75:31–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walmsley A, Vachová P, Vach M (2017) Topography of spoil heaps and its role in plant succession and soil fauna presence. Sci Agric Bohem 48:30–38

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The study was financially supported by the Grant of the Czech Ministry of Agriculture: QK1710241—Optimization of management of forest restoration on sites affected by surface mining. We would like to thank Dr. Kamila Svobodová, Martin Berka, Jan Řezník, Jan Roubíček and Dr. Marek Vach for their help during field sampling.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Land Use and Improvement, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic

    Alena Walmsley

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Alena Walmsley

  3. Department of Botany, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic

    Pavla Vachová

  4. Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jakub Hlava

Authors
  1. Alena Walmsley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pavla Vachová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jakub Hlava
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alena Walmsley.

Additional information

Communicated by Agustín Merino.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Walmsley, A., Vachová, P. & Hlava, J. Tree species identity governs the soil macrofauna community composition and soil development at reclaimed post-mining sites on calcium-rich clays. Eur J Forest Res 138, 753–761 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-019-01202-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-019-01202-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation