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Effect of density and species richness of soil mesofauna on nutrient mineralisation and plant growth

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the relative importance of changes in density and species richness of soil mesofauna as determinants of nutrient mineralisation and plant growth. The experiment was carried out using microcosms containing a mixture of plant litter and soil in which seedlings of Lolium perenne were planted, and a range of combinations of levels of density and species richness of microarthropods added. Over the duration of the experiment, nutrient release, measured as concentrations of NO3 --N and total N in leachates, increased significantly with increasing microarthropod density, but decreased with increasing species richness. Leachate concentrations of NH4 +-N, dissolved organic N and C (DON and DOC) were not affected by the faunal treatments. Soil respiration, a measure of microbial activity, decreased with increasing density of microarthropods, whereas microbial biomass was not affected by microarthropods. Increasing density of soil animals had a negative effect on the shoot biomass of L. perenne while the effect of species richness was positive. Neither the species richness nor density of soil microarthropods was found to significantly influence root biomass. We conclude that variations in animal density had a greater influence on soil nutrient mineralisation processes than did species richness. Possible reasons for these opposing effects of animal density and diversity on soil N mobilization are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Helen Quirk for technical assistance. The work was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council under the Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme (GST 022133) awarded to R.D. Bardgett.

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Author notes

  1. Lisa Cole

    Present address: Department of Biology, Area 2, University of York, PO Box 373, York, YO10 5YW, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK

    Lisa Cole, Karsten M. Dromph, Vincent Boaglio & Richard D. Bardgett

  2. UFR of Life Sciences and the Environment, Université de Rennes I, Pack. 13, Campus de Beaulieu, Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes, France

    Vincent Boaglio

Authors
  1. Lisa Cole
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  2. Karsten M. Dromph
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  3. Vincent Boaglio
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  4. Richard D. Bardgett
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Correspondence to Lisa Cole.

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Cole, L., Dromph, K.M., Boaglio, V. et al. Effect of density and species richness of soil mesofauna on nutrient mineralisation and plant growth. Biol Fertil Soils 39, 337–343 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0702-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0702-6

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