Abstract
The influence of three spatially hierarchical factors upon soil macrofauna biodiversity was studied in four pasture plots in eastern Amazonia. The first factor was the local depth of the soil. The second factor was the ground cover type on the soil samples (bare ground, grass tufts, dead trees lying on the ground). The third factor was the dimensions of the grass tufts sampled (size and shape). The effect of each factor upon the morphospecies richness and density of total soil macrofauna was analysed. Detailed results are given for earthworms, termites, ants, beetles and spiders. All factors significantly affected the morphospecies richness and/or density of the soil macrofauna. The type of ground cover had the strongest influence, affecting the total richness and density of the soil macrofauna and of almost all the groups represented. The soil depth affected only the density of the termites and the global morphospecies richness. Interactions between soil depth and ground cover type affected the total macrofauna morphospecies richness and the density of the earthworms. The dimensions of the grass tuft influenced the global morphospecies richness, the morphospecies richness of the ants and the density of the spiders.
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Acknowledgements
We should like to thank LASAT for field access facilities and CNPq. for its interest in our work. We are very grateful for the help in identification provided by Marlucia Martins (Museum Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belem), Jacques Delabie (Laboratorio de Mirmecologia CEPEC/CEPLAC, Itabuna), Amazonas Chagas Jr (Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro) and Maria Lucia Jardim Macambira (Museum Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belem).
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Mathieu, J., Rossi, JP., Grimaldi, M. et al. A multi-scale study of soil macrofauna biodiversity in Amazonian pastures. Biol Fertil Soils 40, 300–305 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-004-0777-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-004-0777-8