An environmental indicator by grouping composition of the ants and collembolas on the revegetated cutting slopes

Abstract

Soil fauna is often indicated the characteristics of local environments. Species of the ants and the collembolas were identified in soil of the revegetated slopes and the neighbor forest. We discuss the relation among species, the vegetation structure and soil microbiota. As the vegetation structure of the revegetated slopes progressed, the species of the ants increased, and their composition became similar to that of the neighbor forest. The percentage of humus-feeding collembola increased and the composition of feeding groups became similar to that of the neighbor forest according to the decomposition of soil organic matter with the age of the slopes, involved with decreased Bacteria / Fungi ratio.