The ecological stoichiometry theory provides a framework to understand organism fitness and population dynamics based on stoichiometric mismatch between organisms and their resources. Recent studies have revealed that different soil animals occupy distinct multidimensional stoichiometric niches (MSNs), which likely determine their specific stoichiometric mismatches and population responses facing resource changes. The goals of the present study are to examine how long-term forest plantations affect multidimensional elemental contents of litter and detritivores and the population size of detritivores that occupy distinct MSNs. We evaluated the contents of 10 elements of two detritivore taxa (lumbricid earthworms and julid millipedes) and their litter resources, quantified their MSNs and the multidimensional stoichiometric mismatches, and examined how such mismatch patterns influence the density and total biomass of detritivores across three forest types spanning from natural forests (oak forest) to plantations (pine and larch forests). Sixty-year pine plantations changed the multidimensional elemental contents of litter, but did not influence the elemental contents of the two detritivore taxa. Earthworms and millipedes exhibited distinct patterns of MSNs and stoichiometric mismatches, but they both experienced severer stoichiometric mismatches in pine plantations than in oak forests and larch plantations. Such stoichiometric mismatches led to lower density and biomass of both earthworms and millipedes in pine plantations. In other words, under conditions of low litter quality and severe stoichiometric mismatches in pine plantations, detritivores maintained their body elemental contents but decreased their population biomass. Our study illustrates the success in using the multidimensional stoichiometric framework to understand the impact of forest plantations on animal population dynamics, which may serve as a useful tool in addressing ecosystem responses to global environmental changes.
- MeSH
- biomasa MeSH
- borovice * MeSH
- členovci * MeSH
- ekosystém MeSH
- lesy MeSH
- Oligochaeta * MeSH
- půda MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
BACKGROUND: Ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) play a central role in nutrient cycling in boreal and temperate forests, but their role in the soil food web remains little understood. One of the groups assumed to live as specialised mycorrhizal feeders are Protura, but experimental and field evidence is lacking. We used a combination of three methods to test if Protura are specialized mycorrhizal feeders and compared their trophic niche with other soil invertebrates. Using pulse labelling of young beech and ash seedlings we analysed the incorporation of 13C and 15N into Acerentomon gallicum. In addition, individuals of Protura from temperate forests were collected for the analysis of neutral lipid fatty acids and natural variations in stable isotope ratios. RESULTS: Pulse labelling showed rapid incorporation of root-derived 13C, but no incorporation of root-derived 15N into A. gallicum. The transfer of 13C from lateral roots to ectomycorrhizal root tips was high, while it was low for 15N. Neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) analysis showed high amounts of bacterial marker (16:1ω7) and plant marker (16:0 and 18:1ω9) fatty acids but not of the fungal membrane lipid 18:2ω6,9 in A. gallicum. Natural variations in stable isotope ratios in Protura from a number of temperate forests were distinct from those of the great majority of other soil invertebrates, but remarkably similar to those of sporocarps of ECM fungi. CONCLUSIONS: Using three in situ methods, stable isotope labelling, neutral lipid fatty acid analysis and natural variations of stable isotope ratios, we showed that Protura predominantly feed on mycorrhizal hyphae via sucking up hyphal cytoplasm. Predominant feeding on ectomycorrhizal mycelia by Protura is an exception; the limited consumption of ECM by other soil invertebrates may contribute to carbon sequestration in temperate and boreal forests.
- MeSH
- členovci fyziologie MeSH
- izotopy dusíku analýza MeSH
- izotopy uhlíku analýza MeSH
- lesy MeSH
- mykorhiza * chemie MeSH
- potravní řetězec * MeSH
- půdní mikrobiologie MeSH
- stravovací zvyklosti MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Německo MeSH
