Soil macro-invertebrates and litter disappearance in a Japanese mixed deciduous forest and comparison with European deciduous forests and tropical rainforests |
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Authors: | Jiro Tsukamoto |
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Institution: | (1) Kochi University Forests, Nankoku, 783 Kochi, Japan |
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Abstract: | Soil macro-invertebrates and rate of litter disappearance were studied in a ridge plot with moder (mor) humus and a bottom
plot with mull humus on a slope in a temperate mixed deciduous forest in Kyoto, Japan (J). The results were compared with
those from two German beech forests (G) representative of European deciduous forest mor and mull. Between-plot differences
in biomass of total saprophagous animals was much smaller in J than in G, which is dominated by earthworms. Susceptibility
to soil acidity and zoogeographical distribution of earthworms were suggested to be related to this situation. Biomass of
soil macro-invertebrates and litter turnover rate were compared among J, G and three types of tropical rainforests in Malaysia
(M) in relation to climatic conditions. Taking into account among-site differences in temperature and moisture, which affect
microbial activity and in biomass of saprophagous macro-invertebrates especially earthworms, the following order of importance
of soil macro-invertebrates in determining the rate of litter disappearance was suggested: G>J>M. Based on the comparison
of biomass of earthworms among European deciduous forests, Japanese deciduous forests and tropical rainforests, as well as
on the presence or absence of anecic earthworms in these forests, it was suggested that this ranking could be generalized
to European deciduous forests > Japanese deciduous forests > tropical rainforests. It was pointed out that this order was
the opposite of the gradient in evapotranspiration rate existing among these regions. |
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Keywords: | deciduous forest Europe Japan litter disappearance macro-invertebrates soil tropical rainforest |
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