scholarly journals Toxicological benchmarks for potential contaminants of concern for effects on soil and litter invertebrates and heterotrophic process

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.E. Will ◽  
G.W. II Suter
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
T.A. Gordienko ◽  
◽  
R.A. Sukhodolskaya ◽  
D.N. Vavilov ◽  
Yu.A. Lukyanova ◽  
...  

Studies of the soil mesofauna were carried out in Tanaev meadows of the «Nizhnyaya Kama» National Park in natural and disturbed areas. The abundance of pedobionts and herpetobionts in natural areas significantly exceeded the abundance in disturbed areas. However, the taxonomic composition and trophic structure were similar. In general, communities structure indexes in natural sites indicate a stable ecosystem of floodplain meadows. The observance of pipe laying technology during further restoration of disturbed areas, high soil moisture and a small width of the disturbed soil layer contribute to the preservation and rapid restoration of the structure and population of large soil and litter invertebrates of meadow phytocenosis.


1992 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1022-1028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Asquith ◽  
Russell H. Messing

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 607-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen H. Beard ◽  
Anne K. Eschtruth ◽  
Kristina A. Vogt ◽  
Daniel J. Vogt ◽  
Frederick N. Scatena

Determining the ubiquity of top-down control effects of predators on their prey and ecosystem processes is important for understanding community and ecosystem-level consequences that may result from predator loss. We conducted experiments at two spatial scales to investigate the effects of terrestrial frogs (Eleutherodactylus coqui) on aerial and litter invertebrates, plant growth and herbivory, and litter decomposition. At both scales, frogs reduced aerial invertebrates and leaf herbivory, but had no effect on litter invertebrates. At the smaller scale, frogs increased foliage production rates, measured as the number of new leaves and new leaf area produced, by 80% and decomposition rates by 20%. The influence of E. coqui on increasing primary productivity and decomposition rates at the smaller scale appeared to be a result of elimination and excretion rather than of controlling prey. While the results provide evidence for frogs controlling herbivorous prey at both scales, species effects on ecosystem processes were only detectable at the smaller scale. The results highlight the difficulties in conducting experiments at large spatial scales. The findings from this study imply that the loss of amphibians and other species of higher trophic levels may affect nutrient cycling rates in tropical forests.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document