JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2024, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (4): 243-253.doi: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202209066

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Effects of nitrogen addition on soil springtail(Collembolan) community in a poplar plantation

WANG Zimeng1(), RUAN Honghua1,*(), WU Xiaoqiao2, YANG Yan2, XIE Youchao2, SHEN Caiqin3, DING Xuenong3, CAO Guohua3   

  1. 1. Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
    2. Forestry Bureau of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210036, China
    3. Dongtai State Forest Farm of Jiangsu Province, Dongtai 224200, China
  • Received:2022-09-29 Revised:2023-04-15 Online:2024-07-30 Published:2024-08-05
  • Contact: RUAN Honghua E-mail:799733209@qq.com;hhruan@njfu.edu.cn

Abstract:

【Objective】Springtail(Collembolan species), as a kind of microarthropods widely distributed in soils, plays an important role in regulating the functions of soil ecosystems. However, the effects of nitrogen deposition on springtail communities in soils are poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of nitrogen addition on springtail communities in soils by simulating nitrogen deposition for 10 years in a poplar plantation in Dongtai Forest Farm, Jiangsu Province.【Method】Four experimental treatments with different concentrations of nitrogen addition, i.e., the control (N0,No nitrogen addition), N5[5 g/(m2·a)], N15[15 g/(m2·a)], and N30[30 g/(m2·a)], were established in May 2012, respectively. A total of four replicate plots were prepared for each treatment, thus accounting for a total of 16 sample plots. The springtail communities in the litter and soil layers were analyzed in July 2021, October 2021, January 2022, and April 2022. The springtails in the litter layer were collected using a collection frame. Springtail samples were collected using soil drills with different diameters from the three soil layer at depths of 0 (floormas), 10 and 25 cm, respectively. Following transportation to the laboratory, the springtails were collected according to the Tullgren method, and the physical and chemical properties of the soil were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26 and Canoco 5.0.【Result】A total of 1 446 springtails, belonging to 4 Orders, 7 Families, and 18 Genera, were collected in this study. Of these, the Isoma, Toocerus, Entomobrya and Folsomia genera were the most abundant and accounted for 66.87% of the total number of individuals. The number of springtails in the soil increased significantly at a nitrogen concentration of 15 g/(m2·a), but decreased at a concentration of 30 g/(m2·a). The number of springtails in litter layer was significantly higher than that in the soil layer. The number of individuals varied across the seasons, in the following order: October (autumn) > July (summer) > April (spring) > January (winter). The Shannon-Wiener diversity index and Simpson dominance index were highest in the 15 g/(m2·a) treatment group, whereas the Pielou evenness index was highest for the 30 g/(m2·a) treatment group. The results of RDA analysis demonstrated that the pH, nitrate nitrogen content, and the C/N were the primary environmental factors that affected the distribution of springtails in the soil, and that different springtail populations responded differently to the environmental factors.【Conclusion】The results demonstrated that nitrogen deposition affected the composition of the springtail community in the soil. The findings further revealed that the application of nitrogen within a moderate concentration might increase the number and diversity of springtails; however, the excessive addition of nitrogen may reduce the number of springtails, thus indicating a threshold effect.

Key words: poplar, plantation, nitrogen addition, soil fauna, Collembola, community structure, community diversity

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