Anna Alekseevna Rakhleeva

We conducted soil zoological studies on the Southern coast of Crimea in the Nikitsky botanical garden and in the natural reserve “Cape Martian”. We found 22 taxonomic groups of large invertebrate soil animals, whose number was up to 1000 spec/m², and biomass - up to 25 g/m², in the artificial stratozems of the garden and in the natural red-colored soils of the reserve. The territory of the Nikitsky garden is characterized by a greater biomass and taxonomic diversity of the soil macrofauna than Cape Martian, but the structure of the communities of the two territories have similarities. Higher biodiversity and biomass in the garden are explained by increased soil moisture due to sprinkling and the mosaic distribution of vegetation in the arboretum. Both territories are characterized by a large internal heterogeneity of the soil population, which is due to the variability of soil properties, which is determined by the differences in the artificial soils of the Nikitsky garden and the gulley erosion of the soils of Cape Martian. These factors, together with the diversity of vegetation cover, affect the heterogeneity of the macrofauna distribution and provide high biological b-diversity of the territory.

We present a review of the literature data and the results of our own studies on the influence of soil invertebrates of the macrofauna size class on the processes of creating and maintaining the heterogeneity of soil properties in the temperate zone. Significant changes in physical, chemical and biological parameters of soils, compared with background indicators, were noted in excrement and associated soil aggregates, as well as substrates — products of vital activity of key groups of large invertebrates, such as earthworms, diplopod millipedes, diptera and coleoptera larvae, woodlice, and ants. Most of the research is related to the impact of earthworms and ants on soils, whereas for other groups few reports exist. The results of the research will be useful for practical purposes, in particular for the development of sustainable anthropogenic ecosystems.