Tree species as determinants of the structure of oribatid mite communities (Oribatida) and the incorporation of plant carbon and nitrogen in the soil animal food web

Eißfeller, Verena

dc.contributor.advisor	Scheu, Stefan Prof. Dr.
dc.contributor.author	Eißfeller, Verena
dc.date.accessioned	2013-08-23T09:07:06Z
dc.date.available	2013-08-23T09:07:06Z
dc.date.issued	2013-08-23
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-1735-0000-0001-BB2C-1
dc.identifier.uri	http://dx.doi.org/10.3249/webdoc-3899
dc.language.iso	eng	de
dc.relation.ispartofseries	Biodiversity and Ecology Series - B; 10
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/de/
dc.subject.ddc	570	de
dc.title	Tree species as determinants of the structure of oribatid mite communities (Oribatida) and the incorporation of plant carbon and nitrogen in the soil animal food web	de
dc.type	cumulativeThesis	de
dc.contributor.referee	Scheu, Stefan Prof. Dr.
dc.date.examination	2013-02-08
dc.description.abstracteng	In this dissertation I investigated the role of tree species for the structure and functioning of soil animal food webs in temperate forests. In the field, the role of tree species diversity as compared to tree species identity for the structure of oribatid mite communities was investigated. Two laboratory studies focused on the role of two important tree species of deciduous forests (beech and ash) as determinants of the flux of C and N through the soil animal food web. In Chapter 2 results of a field experiment investigating the density, community structure and diversity of oribatid mites (Oribatida) conducted in Hainich National Park are presented. Due to the small scale approach with beech, ash and lime stands (clusters) effects of tree diversity were separated from effects of tree identity. While tree diversity effects on oribatid mites were of minor importance, tree identity effects were strong. Oribatid mite densities were highest in beech clusters, highlighting the importance of thick organic layers formed by recalcitrant beech litter providing habitable space and food resources. The results underline the dominance of fungal feeders and high importance of animal prey for abundant oribatid mite groups such as Oppioidea. The results supported the view that oribatid mite communities are fuelled predominantly by belowground rather than aboveground resources. Ash and lime stands were colonized by few mainly large and strongly sclerotized oribatid mite species able to withstand harsh environmental conditions in shallow humus layers. In the dual labeling experiment presented in Chapter 3, the incorporation of carbon from beech and ash seedlings exposed to 13CO2 enriched atmosphere into the soil animal food web was investigated. In parallel, the incorporation of nitrogen from 15N enriched nutrient solution into the soil animal food web via fungi was studied. 13C and 15N signals were similar in beech and ash rhizosphere suggesting that belowground tree species traits, such as fine root architecture and mycorrhiza type (ectomycorrhiza in beech vs. arbuscular mycorrhiza in ash), had minor effects on the channeling of C and N into the soil animal food web. Incorporation of labelled C and N into secondary decomposers exceeded that of primary decomposers suggesting that fungi are of major importance for C and N fluxes into the soil animal food web. Notably, incorporation of labelled C and N was highest in predators suggesting that they heavily rely on rhizosphere associated prey, such as Collembola, but likely also on Nematoda, Enchytraeidae and Lumbricidae. The experiment presented in Chapter 4 investigated the role of structural compounds for incorporation of litter C and N into the soil animal food web. Dual labeled leaf litter of beech and ash, similar in N concentrations but differing in structural compounds, was used. Soil animals preferentially incorporated C from litter low in structural compound highlighting the importance of litter low in structural compounds, such as ash, for fuelling soil animal food webs. Soil animals incorporated similar amounts of N from both ash and beech indicating that structural compounds of litter little affect the availability of litter N. Incorporation of litter C and N into secondary decomposers exceeded that of primary decomposers. Further, mixing of litter differing in concentrations of structural compounds was of minor importance for incorporation of litter resources into the soil animal food web. Both results stress the importance of the fungal energy channel for incorporation of litter resources into the soil animal food web.	de
dc.contributor.coReferee	Maraun, Mark PD Dr.
dc.subject.eng	soil animal food web	de
dc.subject.eng	oribatid mites (Oribatida)	de
dc.subject.eng	temperate broadleaved forests	de
dc.subject.eng	tree identity	de
dc.subject.eng	plant carbon	de
dc.subject.eng	plant nitrogen	de
dc.subject.eng	litter quality	de
dc.subject.eng	fine roots	de
dc.subject.eng	mycorrhiza	de
dc.subject.eng	fungi	de
dc.subject.eng	microhabitat heterogeneity	de
dc.subject.eng	feeding biology	de
dc.subject.eng	stable isotopes	de
dc.subject.eng	labeling experiment	de
dc.subject.eng	energy channel	de
dc.identifier.urn	urn:nbn:de:gbv:7-11858/00-1735-0000-0001-BB2C-1-6
dc.affiliation.institute	Biologische Fakultät für Biologie und Psychologie	de
dc.subject.gokfull	Biologie (PPN619462639)	de
dc.identifier.ppn	766248992
dc.identifier.doi	10.3249/webdoc-3899

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Das Dokument erscheint in:

CBL - Zentrum für Biodiversität und Nachhaltige Landnutzung (ehem. GZBÖ) [100]
CBL - Centre of Biodiversity and sustainable Land Use

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