Anichkin A.E.1,2, Nguyen Van Thinh2. 2012. Soil macrofauna communities in mountain forests of Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve (Vietnam, Kon Tum province) // Russian Entomol. J. Vol.21. No.3: 257–267 [in English].
1 A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky pr. 33, Moscow, 119071 Russia, e-mail: anisoil@mail.ru
2 Joint Russian–Vietnamese Research and Technological Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
KEY WORDS: soil invertebrates, mountain tropical forests, coniferous forests, peat soils, South-East Asia, Vietnam.
ABSTRACT: The density, biomass and taxonomic composition of soil macrofauna were studied in seven sites at different altitude (from 1600 m to 2370 m a.s.l.), differing in plant community composition, edaphic and climatic conditions. Soil macrofauna had high taxonomic diversity (more than 570 species), density (up to 1700 ind m–2) and biomass (up to 41 g m–2). These values are much greater than previously published data on the density, diversity and biomass of soil macrofauna in mountain ecosystems of South-East Asia. Detritivores dominated at all sites studied, but their biomass was considerably reduced at sites with peat soils, indicating smaller participation in the decomposition process. Clear differences in the composition of local macrofauna communities were revealed. Factors determining the density of soil and litter-dwelling invertebrates in montane ecosystems studied are discussed.