植林地と二次林における土壌動物相の比較

抄録

A large proportion of forests in Japan are man-made and semi-natural forest, namely plantations and secondary forests. The aim of the present study was to elucidate differences of soil arthropod fauna in the A_0 layer and vegetational structure between coniferous plantations and secondary forests, which are the dominant forest types in southwestern Japan. The soil arthropod fauna in coniferous plantations was less than in secondary forests. Among coniferous plantations, older plantation had a richer and more diverse soil arthropod fauna and flora than younger one, and had a characteristic species composition. Among secondary forests, older pine forest had poorer and less diverse soil arthropod fauna and flora than younger forests. These patterns seemed to be related to the vegetational richness of stratification.