车八岭山地常绿阔叶林冰灾后土壤微生物群落功能多样性

研究了我国南方冰灾后常绿阔叶林林冠开度及土壤养分的空间异质性对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响.在受冰灾影响的粤北车八岭山地常绿阔叶林2 hm2固定样地中按照冠层受损程度选取16个20 m×20 m的样方,用半球面影像技术获取林冠开度,并取0～20 cm的表层土壤混合样品分析土壤的理化性质,同时应用Biolog技术分析微生物功能多样性.按林冠开度梯度对各样方土壤微生物群落利用单一碳源的分析发现,林冠开度大的样方土壤微生物的活性、丰富度、多样性和均匀度都较低,反之则较高.聚类分析的结果与林冠开度的梯度有高度的一致性.主成分分析表明各样方土壤微生物功能多样性具有显著差异(第一轴p<0.005;第二轴p<0.001),其结果与聚类结果基本吻合.冗余分析揭示了土壤全磷、全钾、全氮、速效氮、有机碳、容重、总孔隙度和林冠开度的综合作用对土壤微生物功能多样性有显著影响(p<0.005),其中林冠开度与土壤微生物群落功能多样性的关系最密切.土壤微生物功能多样性受土壤养分的影响,具体表现为:与土壤有机碳呈明显的正相关;与全氮正相关;与速效氮、全磷负相关.研究说明冰灾所造成林冠开度和土壤养分的空间异质性会影响到土壤微生物功能多样性,而土壤微生物功能多样性可用于对生境恢复的指示和评价.     

甜槠凋落叶分解中土壤节肢动物群落结构动态及其对森林片段化的响应

选取浙、闽、赣交界山地5个不同的常绿阔叶林群落(1处连续森林和4处片段化森林),对优势种甜槠凋落叶分解过程中土壤节肢动物动态进行了研究.5个研究样地共获得土壤节肢动物899头,分属9纲25目,其中鳞翅目占个体总数的10%以上,为优势类群;膜翅目、弹尾目、双翅目、前气门亚目和地蜈蚣目为常见类群.凋落叶分解速率与土壤节肢动物的类群数、个体数随季节动态呈现相一致的变化趋势.8月凋落物分解最快,土壤节肢动物类群和个体数最多;而4至6月和12月情况与之相反.片段化森林和连续森林在土壤节肢动物的类群数、个体数和物种多样性方面均显示出差异,面积效应和边缘效应在其中都起了一定的作用.     

哀牢山不同类型亚热带森林地表凋落物及土壤节肢动物群落特征

分别于2005年4月（干热季）、6月（雨季）和12月（干热季）,采用样线法对哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林、山顶苔藓矮林和滇山杨次生林地表凋落物及其中的土壤节肢动物群落进行了调查.结果表明： 凋落物现存总量、C储量和C/N在干、湿季均表现为苔藓矮林＞滇山杨林＞常绿阔叶林,N储量差异不大.蜱螨目和弹尾目是3林地凋落物层节肢动物群落的优势类群,双翅目幼虫、鞘翅目、蚁类和同翅目为常见类群,3林地凋落物层土壤节肢动物群落相似性系数极高.3林地凋落物层土壤节肢动物群落密度(ind·m^-2)没有显著差异,但相对密度(ind·g^-1)呈现出常绿阔叶林和滇山杨林显著高于苔藓矮林;土壤节肢动物密度季节变化呈现干季（4月和12月）显著高于雨季（6月）,群落香农多样性指数差异不显著.干热季(4月)3林地枯枝落叶现存量与其土壤节肢动物群落和主要类群密度呈显著正相关关系,而在干冷季(12月)凋落物总现存量与其土壤节肢动物群落及蜱螨目相对密度则呈显著负相关关系;弹尾目和鞘翅目密度与地表凋落物层的N储量也有显著的正相关关系.哀牢山亚热带森林凋落物及其土壤节肢动物群落的发展与森林植被结构密切相关, 其群落个体数量和多样性受森林地表凋落物的调控, 但林内其他环境因素如温湿度对森林凋落物层土壤动物个体数的季节变动也有明显影响.     

有机肥和植被去除管理对人工林土壤节肢动物多样性的影响

施用有机肥和林下抚育（植被去除）是人工林重要的管理措施;土壤节肢动物物种丰富,是土壤生态系统的重要组成成分,对环境变化敏感,可以作为森林管理的指示生物。人工林植被去除和施肥管理影响土壤性质、资源输入量及微生物多样性,从而影响土壤节肢动物多样性,但是相关研究还十分缺乏。以沿海地区杨树人工林为对象,研究了施用有机肥和林下植被去除对土壤节肢动物的数量和多样性的影响。结果表明,有机肥和植被去除管理对不同土壤层土壤节肢动物的数量和多样性指标影响不一致。有机肥增加0-10 cm深度土壤节肢动物总数量、蜱螨目数量,降低土壤节肢动物群落物种丰富度、均匀度和Shannon多样性指数;植被去除减少0-10 cm深度土壤节肢动物总数量和弹尾目数量,降低均匀度指数。两种处理对10-20 cm深度土壤节肢动物群落的数量和各多样性指标影响不显著。总体来说（0-20 cm）,有机肥处理土壤节肢动物的数量显著增加,优势类群前气门亚目（Prostigmata）的数量增长为对照的4倍,但是土壤节肢动物群落的均匀度和Shannon多样性指数显著降低,这可能是土壤节肢动物优势类群前气门亚目密度急剧增加,而物种丰富度没有变化所导致;此外,施用有机肥增加了土壤有机质、总氮、有效磷的含量,降低土壤pH值,并且与前气门亚目密度显著相关。林下植被去除没有影响0-20 cm深度土壤节肢动物的数量和各多样性指标。     

鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林群落垂直结构及其物种多样性特征

群落结构在森林生态系统中具有重要作用, 其构建机制一直是森林生态学的研究核心。群落结构不仅包括水平方向上的物种分布格局, 还包括垂直方向上的物种分层结构。本文基于鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林塔吊样地, 利用林冠塔吊和测高杆精准测量样地内每个个体(胸径大于1 cm)的树高, 并划分群落的垂直层次, 研究了每层的群落多样性特征(α多样性)和林层间的群落多样性变化特征(β多样性)。结果表明: (1)样地群落垂直层次由下至上分为5层: 灌木层、亚冠层、林冠下层、林冠中层和林冠上层。(2)随林层向上, 物种丰富度、多度和Shannon-Wiener指数均下降, Pielou均匀度指数在林冠下层最大。(3)利用POD法计算并分解β多样性, 发现随林层向上, β多样性在灌木层与其他各层间呈递增趋势, 在相邻林层间呈单峰型, 不同林层间的物种组成差异主要由丰富度差异造成。 但在林冠下层与林冠中层间丰富度差异较小, 物种替换组分增大, 可能与林冠下层所处特殊位置有关。(4)各林层内微环境从灌木层向上, 趋于高温、强光照和低空气相对湿度, 但林冠下层平均日光强最低。综上, 鼎湖山南亚热带常绿阔叶林林冠下层可能存在强烈的环境筛选作用, 且光照可能是影响群落垂直结构形成的限制因子。     

林冠受损对小坑林场土壤固碳微生物群落结构的影响

【目的】以典型南亚热带常绿阔叶林小坑林场土壤为研究对象,模拟2008年冰雪灾害对森林造成的损伤设置实验,分析不同林冠开度和凋落物输入量对土壤固碳微生物群落结构的影响。【方法】试验设置对照(CN)、损伤处理+移除处理枝叶(TR)、损伤处理+保留处理枝叶(TD)、未处理+添加处理枝叶(UD)4个处理,受损处理一年后,采用MiSeq高通量测序技术对土壤固碳微生物的功能基因cbbL进行测序分析。【结果】通过生物信息学及统计学分析表明,森林林冠损伤后林冠开度和凋落物输入量增加,导致土壤固碳微生物种群数量降低,多样性增加,群落结构也受到影响,亚硝化螺菌属(Nitrosospira)明显增加,成为优势种群,而原来的优势菌群慢生根瘤菌属(Bradyrhizobium)明显减少。主成分分析(PCA)表明,与对照相比,其他3个样地的土壤固碳微生物结构均发生明显改变。【结论】模拟林冠损伤处理一年后,凋落物的大量骤然输入和林冠开度增大提高了土壤固碳微生物群落多样性,但降低了其种群数量,影响了土壤固碳微生物群落结构,这为进一步的研究提供了依据。     

亚热带森林凋落叶分解过程土壤节肢动物群落的变化特征

土壤动物群落结构和多样性可能随凋落物分解进程和基质质量的变化不断改变。为了解亚热带森林凋落叶分解过程中土壤节肢动物群落变化特征,以四川盆地亚热带森林麻栎（Quercus acutissima）和柳杉（Cryptomeria fortunei）凋落叶为对象,于2011-2015年采用分解袋法研究了2种凋落叶分解过程中土壤节肢动物组成、结构和多样性动态变化。整个研究期间,柳杉和麻栎凋落叶分解袋中共捕获土壤节肢动物3855只,分属于16目51科,且均以等节跳科和棘跳科为优势类群;麻栎凋落叶中土壤节肢动物的个体密度随分解进程呈现增加趋势,在分解的1079天达最高值后降低,而柳杉凋落叶则在分解的156天急剧增加后快速降低,2种凋落叶中土壤节肢动物类群数量具有相似的动态变化过程;2种凋落叶中土壤节肢动物总体以菌食性数量比例最高,腐食性最低,且随凋落叶分解进程,植食性土壤节肢动物占比明显下降,菌食性则上升;非度量多维尺度（NMDS）分析显示,2种凋落叶中土壤节肢动物群落组成具有显著差异,聚类分析表明,2种凋落叶土壤节肢动物群落结构相似性随分解进程不断降低。亚热带森林凋落叶分解过程中土壤节肢动物群落组成、结构和多样性受凋落叶类型影响。     

拉萨半干旱河谷植被对地表节肢动物多样性的影响

调查不同植被恢复措施下拉萨半干旱河谷地表节肢动物类群多样性以及群落结构,为揭示地表节肢动物多样性对植被恢复措施的响应具有重要意义。采用陷阱法对青藏高原半干旱河谷砂生槐灌丛、人工杨树林和藏沙蒿灌丛样地地表节肢动物群落组成、类群多样性以及功能群结构进行调查,计算各处理地表节肢动物类群相对多度、类群丰富度、多样性指数、Cody指数和S9rensen指数。共采集半干旱河谷地表节肢动物个体数738,隶属5纲15目51科。砂生槐灌丛样地收集节肢动物40科,占所有类群78.4%,杨树人工林和藏沙蒿灌丛样地调查到土壤节肢动物类群为30和23科,分别占总科数的58.8%和45.1%。各植被恢复类型在目的分类单元下,双翅目、膜翅目和弹尾目类群相对多度较高,而在科的分类单元下,驼跳科、蚁科和漏斗网蛛科为拉萨半干旱河谷优势地表节肢动物类群。砂生槐灌丛节肢动物类群丰富度和多样性指数最高,人工杨树林最低。砂生槐灌丛和藏沙蒿灌丛地表节肢动物营养功能群均以捕食性为主。不同植被群落间群落相似性也有差异,砂生槐与藏沙蒿灌丛间相似性较高,而人工杨树林与藏沙蒿之间较低。不同植物群落组成和结构影响土壤理化特性、地表凋落物数量、质量和微生境条件,进而影响地表节肢动物群落组成、数量和营养功能群。砂生槐灌丛样地具有较高节肢动物类群丰富度和捕食性动物类群,有利于拉萨半干旱河谷地区地表节肢动物多样性维护。     

退化红壤植被恢复对土壤螨类群落结构的影响

对退化红壤地区的旱生性草坡、稀疏针叶林、针叶林、针阔混交林等4种植被恢复类型及裸地、顶级常绿阔叶林等2个对照样地的土壤螨类群落进行四季调查,共捕获4亚目53科,其中隐气门亚目27科（Cryptostigmata）,前气门亚目（Prostigmata）17科,中气门亚目（Mesostigmata）8科,无气门亚目（Astigmata）1科,优势类群为矮汉甲螨科（Nanhermanniidae）和单翼甲螨科（Haplozetidae）,常见类群包括若甲螨科（Oribatulidae）、盖头甲螨科（Tectocepheidae）等16科。应用个体密度、类群数、香农多样性、密度．类群DG指数、丰富度和均匀度、甲螨群落的MGP分析和捕食性螨类MI指数,研究其中螨类的群落结构特征。研究结果表明：不同植被类型土壤螨类群落差异显著,各项指标均以常绿阔叶林为最高,其次为稀疏针叶林,显著高于其它样地（P〈0．05）,针叶林和裸地处于最低水平。甲螨群落类群结构中,各植被类型中的甲螨群落均属于M型;甲螨个体密度结构类型中,裸地属于MP型,旱生性草坡属P型,常绿阔叶林属于O型,其它均属于M型。中气门螨类的MI指数在各植被类型没有明显的变化。DCA分析将6类型分为3类：裸地、常绿阔叶林各为一类,其余各类型归为一类,这显示了土壤螨类群落对植被恢复不同类型的响应。     

常绿阔叶林片段中木荷凋落叶分解速率及中小型土壤节肢动物群落的结构动态

2004年6月-2006年4月,选择浙、闽、赣交界山地的4个森林片段作为研究地点,并以浙西的古田山国家级自然保护区作为连续森林对照,采用尼龙网袋法,研究了不同常绿阔叶林群落优势种木荷凋落叶的分解速率及土壤节肢动物群落的结构和动态.结果表明：5个研究地共获土壤节肢动物1050个,分属8纲23目,其中鳞翅目、膜翅目、弹尾目和双翅目占个体总数的10%以上,为该地区的优势类群.片段化对群落物种组成的影响主要体现在稀有类群的差异上.不同分解阶段各种土壤节肢动物类群优势度因其功能的不同而各异.经过2年的分解,各研究地木荷凋落叶损失量为60%～70%,研究地凋落物中土壤节肢动物的各项多样性指标均有一定的变化,且与连续森林的变化规律不一致.     

热带次生林、旱稻种植地和火烧迹地土壤节肢动物群落结构特征及季节变化

通过模拟刀耕火种过程 ,对刀耕火种前后的次生林、旱稻地 (第 2年 )和火烧迹地 (火烧后直接撂荒地第 2年 )土壤节肢动物群落结构特征及季节变化进行了调查研究。结果显示 :3块样地土壤节肢动物群落的优势类群组成相同 ,均为蜱螨目、膜翅目和弹尾目 ,但不同生境样地中各优势类群所占群落总数的比例不同 ,并且 3样地常见和稀有类群的组成差异较大 ;土壤节肢动物类群数、个体数和 DG多样性指数表现为次生林高于其它 2块样地 ,而旱稻地和火烧迹地则无较大差异 ,但一些类群在旱稻地、火烧迹地的数量分布与次生林具有差异 ,且在土壤层的表现较为突出 ;3块样地土壤节肢动物群落具有较好相似性 ,其中旱稻地与火烧迹地达到极相似水平 (D、DS>0 .9)。3种不同类型生境土壤节肢动物群落在类群数、个体数和多样性指数的季节变化总体呈现出雨量少的干季或雨季初末期高于雨量最大的雨季中期 ,与当地降雨量和气温变化有密切关系 ,同时各样地土壤节肢动物群落因生境条件不同及人为活动干扰强弱而形成各自的季节消长特点。研究表明刀耕火种后的旱稻种植对土壤节肢动物群落的恢复和发展在一定限制条件 (面积、周围次生林和坡度 )下无破坏性影响 ,但植被改变、农事活动等对直接撂荒地和旱稻地土壤节肢动物群落的季节消长产生     

西双版纳不同演替状态热带次生林土壤节肢动物群落特征

采用样地调查法,对西双版纳4种不同演替状况热带次生林：中平树(Macavanga denticulate)、崖豆藤(Millettia laptobotrya)、野芭蕉(Musa acuminata)与黄竹(Dendrocalamus membranaceae)林的土壤节肢动物群落结构与季节变化进行了研究．结果表明,4类不同演替状况次生林土壤节肢动物群落在数量优势类群组成上无较大差异,蜱螨目为所有4类林地的突出优势类群,膜翅目、弹尾目和鞘翅目在不同林地中分别为不同数量等级的次优势类群,而在常见和稀有类群的组成上,各林地表现出较大的差异．土壤节肢动物类群数、个体数和DG多样性指数以正向演替的崖豆藤林最高,偏途演替的黄竹林最低,但中平树、崖豆藤和野芭蕉林的差异不大．4类林地土壤节肢动物类群数和个体数的垂直分布分别以凋落物层和土壤表层(0～5cm)最高,其它各层分布因林地不同各异,并存在明显的季节差异．各林地土壤节肢动物个体数和类群数的季节消长总体表现出干季和雨季初期与末期高于雨量最大的雨季中期,由于不同林地植被结构、凋落物数量和质量以及土壤水热状况不同,其季节变化显现样地差异,除了受林地降水量和温度变化影响外,食物的丰欠和栖息场所的干扰状况也有重要的影响作用．     

Characteristics of floor litter and soil arthropod community in different types ot subtropical forest in Ailao Mountain of Yunnan, Southwest China

By using line transect method, an investigation was conducted on the floor litter and soil arthropod community in a mid mountain wet evergreen broad-leaved forest, a mossy dwarf forest, and a Populus bonatii forest in Ailao Mountain of Yunnan in April (dry and hot season), June (rainy season), and December (dry and cold season), 2005. In both dry and rainy seasons, the existing floor litter mass, C storage, and C/N ratio in the three forests all increased in the order of mossy dwarf forest > P. bonatii forest > evergreen broad-leaved forest, but the N storage had less difference. In the floor litter layer of the forests, Acari and Collembola were the dominant groups of soil arthropod community, while Diptera larvae, Coleoptera, ants, and Homoptera were the common groups. The Sorenson coefficients of soil arthropod community in the three forests were extremely great. No significant differences were observed in the soil arthropod density (ind x m(-2)) in the floor litter layer among the three forests, but the relative density (ind x g(-1)) of soil arthropods was higher in the evergreen broad-leaved forest and P. bonatii forest than in the mossy dwarf forest. In the three forests, the density of soil arthropods was significantly higher in dry season than in rainy season, but the Shannon diversity index had less difference. There were significant positive correlations between the existing floor litter mass and the individual density (ind x m(-2)) and dominant groups of soil arthropod communities in dry and hot season (April), but negative correlations between the existing floor litter mass and the relative density (ind x g(-1)) of soil arthropod communities and Acari in dry and cold season (December). The individual densities of Collembola and Coleoptera also had positive correlations with the N storage of the existing floor litter mass in the three forests. It was considered that the floor litter and the development of soil arthropod community in the litter layer of the subtropical forests in Ailao Mountain had a close relation with the vegetation structure of the forests, and the individual density and the diversity of the soil arthropod community were controlled by the floor litter, whereas the environmental factors such as temperature and moisture in the forests also had obvious effects on the seasonal dynamics of the individual density of the soil arthropods.     

Factors Affecting the Abundance of Leaf-Litter Arthropods in Unburned and Thrice-Burned Seasonally-Dry Amazonian Forests

Fire is frequently used as a land management tool for cattle ranching and annual crops in the Amazon. However, these maintenance fires often escape into surrounding forests, with potentially severe impacts for forest biodiversity. We examined the effect of experimental fires on leaf-litter arthropod abundance in a seasonally-dry forest in the Brazilian Amazon. The study plots (50 ha each) included a thrice-burned forest and an unburned control forest. Pitfall-trap samples were collected at 160 randomly selected points in both plots, with sampling stratified across four intra-annual replicates across the dry and wet seasons, corresponding to 6, 8, 10 and 12 months after the most recent fire. Arthropods were identified to the level of order (separating Formicidae). In order to better understand the processes that determine arthropod abundance in thrice-burned forests, we measured canopy openness, understory density and litter depth. All arthropod taxa were significantly affected by fire and season. In addition, the interactions between burn treatment and season were highly significant for all taxa but Isoptera. The burned plot was characterized by a more open canopy, lower understory density and shallower litter depth. Hierarchical partitioning revealed that canopy openness was the most important factor explaining arthropod order abundances in the thrice-burned plot, whereas all three environmental variables were significant in the unburned control plot. These results reveal the marked impact of recurrent wildfires and seasonality on litter arthropods in this transitional forest, and demonstrate the overwhelming importance of canopy-openness in driving post-fire arthropod abundance.     

Arthropod Distribution in a Tropical Rainforest: Tackling a Four Dimensional Puzzle

Quantifying the spatio-temporal distribution of arthropods in tropical rainforests represents a first step towards scrutinizing the global distribution of biodiversity on Earth. To date most studies have focused on narrow taxonomic groups or lack a design that allows partitioning of the components of diversity. Here, we consider an exceptionally large dataset (113,952 individuals representing 5,858 species), obtained from the San Lorenzo forest in Panama, where the phylogenetic breadth of arthropod taxa was surveyed using 14 protocols targeting the soil, litter, understory, lower and upper canopy habitats, replicated across seasons in 2003 and 2004. This dataset is used to explore the relative influence of horizontal, vertical and seasonal drivers of arthropod distribution in this forest. We considered arthropod abundance, observed and estimated species richness, additive decomposition of species richness, multiplicative partitioning of species diversity, variation in species composition, species turnover and guild structure as components of diversity. At the scale of our study (2km of distance, 40m in height and 400 days), the effects related to the vertical and seasonal dimensions were most important. Most adult arthropods were collected from the soil/litter or the upper canopy and species richness was highest in the canopy. We compared the distribution of arthropods and trees within our study system. Effects related to the seasonal dimension were stronger for arthropods than for trees. We conclude that: (1) models of beta diversity developed for tropical trees are unlikely to be applicable to tropical arthropods; (2) it is imperative that estimates of global biodiversity derived from mass collecting of arthropods in tropical rainforests embrace the strong vertical and seasonal partitioning observed here; and (3) given the high species turnover observed between seasons, global climate change may have severe consequences for rainforest arthropods.     

粤北山地常绿阔叶林自然干扰后冠层结构与林下光照动态

以粤北车八岭2008年受冰灾破坏的山地常绿阔叶林为研究对象,设置2 hm2固定样地开展连续3a(2008—2010年)的群落调查,并采用半球面影像技术(Hemispherical photography)获取冠层结构和林下光照指标,分析灾后森林演替过程中冠层结构和林下光照的动态。研究发现:1)灾后森林恢复过程中,样地林下光照(直射光、散射光和总光照)均随林冠开度的减少、叶面积指数的增加而减少;2)从2008到2010年,各年度冠层结构和林下光照的差异均极显著(P<0.0001),但年间差异程度有逐年减少的趋势;3)灾后森林恢复前3a,林下直射光对林下总光照的贡献大于散射光,其时空波动性也大于散射光;4)林冠开度对冠层结构的反映程度比叶面积指数高,冠层结构对林下散射光的影响比对直射光大。灾后林木先是迅速生长然后生长速度缓慢下来并逐渐稳定,随森林逐渐郁闭林下光照也随之减少,其中林冠开度用于评价冠层结构动态的效果更佳,林下直射光比散射光的时空变化更复杂。     

马尾松人工林郁闭度对大型土壤动物功能群的影响

将土壤动物分为捕食性、腐食性、杂食性、食木性和菌食性5个功能群,研究马尾松人工林各功能群大型土壤动物随郁闭度(0.5、0.6、0.7、0.8、0.9)的变化.结果表明: 1)各郁闭度马尾松人工林大型土壤动物以腐食性个体比例最高,类群上以杂食性和食木性为主.2)马尾松人工林大型捕食性土壤动物个体数、类群数和食木性类群数在0.5～0.6郁闭度下无显著变化,在0.6～0.9郁闭度下显著降低.3)随郁闭度增大,枯落物层捕食性土壤动物个体和类群数显著减少,5～10 cm层腐食性土壤动物个体数呈不规则的波动变化.食木性土壤动物个体数随土层加深而增多,且在枯落层其类群数及5～10 cm层个体和类群数随郁闭度增大而显著减少.4)不同郁闭度下,除食木性土壤动物功能群Pielou均匀度无显著差异外,食木性和腐食性土壤动物各多样性指标均差异显著;捕食性土壤动物仅Simpson优势度指数在0.5～0.8郁闭度下无显著变化,在0.8～0.9郁闭度下显著降低.5)典范对应分析(CCA)显示,不同郁闭度马尾松人工林大型土壤动物功能群主要受土壤容重和含水量的影响.含水量对腐食性土壤动物个体数影响较大,食木性、捕食性土壤动物受土壤容重影响,捕食性土壤动物Simpson优势度指数受土壤pH和全磷影响.大型土壤动物功能群结构在0.7郁闭度下相对稳定,有利于马尾松人工林地力维持和生态功能的发挥.     

Trees as templates for tropical litter arthropod diversity

Increased tree species diversity in the tropics is associated with even greater herbivore diversity, but few tests of tree effects on litter arthropod diversity exist. We studied whether tree species influence patchiness in diversity and abundance of three common soil arthropod taxa (ants, gamasid mites, and oribatid mites) in a Panama forest. The tree specialization hypothesis proposes that tree-driven habitat heterogeneity maintains litter arthropod diversity. We tested whether tree species differed in resource quality and quantity of their leaf litter and whether more heterogeneous litter supports more arthropod species. Alternatively, the abundance–extinction hypothesis states that arthropod diversity increases with arthropod abundance, which in turn tracks resource quantity (e.g., litter depth). We found little support for the hypothesis that tropical trees are templates for litter arthropod diversity. Ten tree species differed in litter depth, chemistry, and structural variability. However, the extent of specialization of invertebrates on particular tree taxa was low and the more heterogeneous litter between trees failed to support higher arthropod diversity. Furthermore, arthropod diversity did not track abundance or litter depth. The lack of association between tree species and litter arthropods suggests that factors other than tree species diversity may better explain the high arthropod diversity in tropical forests.