Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Community structure and seasonal variation of soil arthropods in the forest-steppe ecotone of the mountainous region in Northern Hebei, China

  • Published:
Journal of Mountain Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Soil fauna have been receiving more and more attention because they play an important role in nutrient cycling. However, there is a lack of information on soil arthropods in the forest-steppe ecotone in the mountainous region of northern Hebei, which makes it difficult to meet the need of protecting biodiversity in this area. Soil arthropod communities were investigated in the forest-steppe ecotone in northern Hebei province to provide basic information on changes in mountain soil fertility, which could promote the development of soil arthropod communities in mountain ecotones. From the preliminary identification, a total of 7994 individual soil arthropods were collected, which belonged to 25 groups, 6 classes and 24 orders. Acarina, Hymenoptera and Collembola were the dominant groups in the ecotone. The number of Acarina was higher than Collembola, and this phenomenon was obviously different from other areas in the same climate zone. The increased abundance of rare groups in the Forest zone with the richer vegetation, higher arthropod abundance and more substantial litter depth, could be interpreted as a reaction to the suitable soil environment and food supply. And these rare groups were sensitive to environmental changes, which could be regarded as biotic indicators for evaluating soil quality. The analysis of community diversity showed that the abundance index (d), the Shannon-Wiener index (H′), the evenness index (J) and the density-group index (DG) were significantly higher in the forest zone, lower in the forest-steppe zone, and lowest in the meadow-steppe zone. Seasonal variations in community composition correlated with changes in average air temperature and precipitation in this ecotone. Groups and individuals of soil arthropod communities in the three zones were present in greater numbers in the middle of the rainy season than in the early or late periods of the rainy season as a whole. At the same time, seasonal changes in soil arthropod communities from different plots were also influenced by habitat condition.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boyda S. E., Rees H. L. and Richardson C. A. 2000. Nematodes as Sensitive Indicators of Change at Dredged Material Disposal Sites. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 51: 805–819.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CHEN Xudong and ZHAO Yuxing, 1998. The Determination of Ecotone and the Chatracteristics of Biome on Ordos Plateau. Acta. Phytoecologica Sinica 22(4): 312–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dicastri F and Hansen A.J. 1992. The Environment and Development Crises as Determinants of Landscape Dynamics. In: Hansen, AJ. Landscape Boundaries, New York: Springer-Verlag pp.3–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Goede and R.G.M. 1996. Effects of Sod-Cutting on the Nematode Community of a Secondary Forest of Pinus SylvestrisL. Biology and Fertility of Soils 22: 227–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ettema, C.H., Coleman, D.C. and Vellidis, G. et al. 1998. Spatiotemporal Distribution of Bacterivorous Nematodes and Soil Resources in a Restored Riparian Wetland. Ecology 79: 2721–2734.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freckman, D.W. and Ettema, C.H. 1993. Assessing Nematode Communities in Agro-ecosystems of Varying Human Intervention. Agriculture Ecosystem and Environment 45: 239–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freckman, D.W. and Virginia, R.A. 1997. Low Diversity Antarctic Soil Nematode Communities: Distribution and Response to Disturbance. Ecology 78: 363–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forman R. T. and Moore P. N. 1992. Theoretical Foundations for Understanding Boundaries in Landscape Mosaics. In: Hansen A J, Landscape Boundaries; Consequences for Biotic Diversity and Ecological Flows, New York: Springer-Verlag pp. 236–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregor W and Yeates G. W. 2003. Nematodes as Soil Indicators: Functional and Biodiversity Aspects. Biology and Fertility of Soils 37: 199–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosz J. R. 1992. Ecological Functions in a Biome Transition Zone: Translating Local Responses to Broad Scale Dynamics. In: Hansen, AJ. Landscape Boundaries, New York: Springer-Verlag pp.56–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gates J. E and Gysel L W. 1978. Avian Nest Dispersion and Fledging Success in Field-Forest Ecotones. Ecology 59(5): 871–881.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holland, M.M.and Risser, P. G. 1991. Ecotones: The Role of Landscape Boundaries in the Management and Restoration of Changing Environments. Chapman & all, New York pp.1–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • James C. N, Walter G. W and Marek K, 1996. Soil Land Litter Micro Arthropod Populations from Two Contrasting Ecosystems in Semi-arid Eastern Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 32: 329–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nahmani J. and Lavelle P. 2002. Effects of Heavy Metal Pollution on Soil Macrofauna in Grassland of Northern France. European Journal of Soil Biology 38:297–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekschmitt K., Bakonyi G., Bongers M. 2001. Nematode Community Structure as Indicator of Soil Functioning in European Grassland Soils. European Journal of Soil Biology 37: 263–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lubchenco J. 1992. The Sustainable Biosphere Initiative: An Ecological Research Agenda-A Report from the Ecological Society of American. Ecology 72(2): 371–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lavrenko E.M and Karamysheva Z.V. 1993. Steppes of the Former Soviet Union and Mongolia. In: Coupland R T, Natural Grassland-eastern Hemisphere and Resume. Ecosystems of the world Vol.8B. The Nether Land, Amsterdam pp. 156–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • LIAO Chonghui and LI Jianxiong. 2000. The Community Structure of Soil Animal in the Tropics and Subtropics of China. In: Yin Wenying et al., Soil Animal of China. Beijing: SciencePress pp. 77–99. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • LIAO Chonghui, LI Jianxiong and HUANG Haitao. 1997. Soil Animal Community Diversity in the Forest of the Southern Subtropical Region, China. Acta Ecologica Sinica 17(5): 549–545. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • LU Youcheng and WANG Zongying. 1994. Vertical Distribution of Soil Animal on the Jiuhua Mountain. Geographical Research 13(2): 74–81. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • MA Shijun. 1990. Modern Ecology. Beijing: Science Press pp.43–45. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadaka N. and Ponge J.F. 2003. Soil Animal Communities in Holm Oak Forests: Influence of Horizon, Altitude and Year. European Journal of Soil Biology 39:197–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raghubanshi A.S, Srivastava S.C and Singh R.S. 1990. Nutrient Release in Leaf Litter. Nature 227–346.

  • Richard D., Bardgetta and Roger Cook. 1998. Functional Aspects of Soil Animal Diversity in Agricultural Grasslands. Applied Soil Ecology 10: 263–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SUN Ruiyong. 2001. Animal Ecological Principle. Beijing: Beijing Teacher University Press pp.393–394. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Terborgh J. 1985. The Role of Ecotones in the Distribution of Andean Bird. Ecology 66(4):1237–1246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walt H. 1984. World Vegetation-Ecosystem of Land Biosphere. Beijing: Science Press pp.5, 75,100,147,214,281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasilewska L. 1998. Soil Invertebrates as Bio-indicators, with Special Reference to Soil Inhabiting Nematodes. Russian Journal of Nematology 5: 113–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • WANG Qingsuo, FENG Zongwei and LUO Juchun. 2000. Biodiversity of a Forest-steppe Ecotone in Northern HeBei Province and Eastern Inner Mongolia. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica 24(2): 141–146. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • WANG Qingsuo, LIU Tao and FENG Zongwei, et al. 2001. Study on Plant Diversity of betula platyphylla and populous Dravidian Forest in Forest-Steppe Ecotone. Sientia Silvae Sinicae 24(2): 141–146. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • WANG Qingsuo. 2004. Forest Landscape Spatial Patterns of Forest-Steppe Ecotone in Northern Hebei Province and Eastern Inner Mongolia. Chinese Journal of Ecology 23(3): 11–15. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • YANG Xiaodong. 2003. Comparison of the Communities Structure and Seasonal Changes in Diversity of Soil Arthropod in Tropical Secondary Forest, Dry-rice Land and Fired Remains, Acta Ecologica Sinca, 23(5): 883–891. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeates, G.W. and Bird, A.F., 1994. Some Observation on the Influence of Agricultural Practices on the Nematode Fauna of Some South Australian Soils. Fundam. Appl. Nematol 17: 13–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • YIN Wenying. 1998. Pictorial Keys to Soil Animals of China. Beijing: Science Press. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • YIN Wenying. 1992. Chinese Sub-tropical Soil Animal. Beijing: Science Press pp.7–557. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • YIN Wenying. 2000. Soil Animals of China. Beijing: Science Press, 77–100. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • ZHENG Leyi and GUI Hong. 1999. Insect Classification, Nanjing Normal University Press pp. 68–75. (In Chinese)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Xinyu Zhu

  2. Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Xinyu Zhu

  3. Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China

    Baojia Gao

  4. Agricultural University of Hebei, Baoding, 071000, China

    Xinyu Zhu, Baojia Gao, Shengliang Yuan & Yunchuan Hu

Authors
  1. Xinyu Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Baojia Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shengliang Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yunchuan Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Baojia Gao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhu, X., Gao, B., Yuan, S. et al. Community structure and seasonal variation of soil arthropods in the forest-steppe ecotone of the mountainous region in Northern Hebei, China. J. Mt. Sci. 7, 187–196 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-010-0198-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-010-0198-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation