Responses of soil invertebrates to different forest types in the Changbai Mountains of China

Soil invertebrates can potentially respond to variation of soil and vegetation in a timely manner, yet the relationships between soil invertebrates to the forest ecosystem remain a matter of debate. In order to better understand the responses of soil invertebrates to different forest types in the temperate forest ecosystem, a total of 450 soil invertebrates’ samples were collected from 5 forest types, namely primeval coniferous broad-leaved mixed forests, secondary coniferous broad-leaved mixed forests, secondary broad-leaved forests, secondary Quercus mongolica forests, and secondary shrub forests in spring, summer, and autumn. The results revealed that the distribution patterns of soil invertebrates differed among the forests, and the taxonomic compositions of soil invertebrates slightly varied among the different forest types in the Changbai Mountains, yet high similarities exist in the soil invertebrates’ communities. Seasonal variation in the abundance and richness of soil invertebrates was observed, though no significant differences were detected among the seasons. Hypogastruridae were more suitable for the forest types with relatively higher levels of canopy cover. Furthermore, soil invertebrates responded mostly to soil temperature and moisture (RV = 0.44, p = 0.02), available nutrients (RV = 0.42, p = 0.04), and minerals (RV = 0.39, p = 0.04). Overall, the findings of this study provide evidence that different forest types affect the distribution patterns of soil invertebrates, but the responses of soil invertebrates to forest types differed between their taxa.