Effects of summer rainfall manipulations on the abundance and vertical distribution of herbivorous soil macro-invertebrates

Staley, Joanna T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6467-3712; Hodgson, Christopher J.; Mortimer, Simon R.; Morecroft, Michael D.; Masters, Gregory J.; Brown, Valerie K.; Taylor, Michele E.. 2007 Effects of summer rainfall manipulations on the abundance and vertical distribution of herbivorous soil macro-invertebrates. European Journal of Soil Biology, 43 (3). 189-198. 10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.02.010

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.02.010

Abstract/Summary

Soil invertebrate communities are likely to be highly vulnerable to low soil moisture, caused by a reduction in summer rainfall which is predicted for some regions under current climate change scenarios. However, the effects of changes in summer rainfall on soil invertebrate assemblages have rarely been tested experimentally. In this study, samples were taken in 2003 and 2004 from a long-running field experiment, to investigate the impact of 10 years of experimental summer drought and increased summer rainfall manipulations on the soil fauna of a calcareous grassland. Summer drought altered the soil invertebrate assemblage in the autumn, immediately following treatment application, but by the following spring treatment effects were no longer apparent. The two most common root herbivore species responded differently to the summer rainfall manipulations. Larvae of the dominant root-chewing species, Agriotes lineatus, were more numerous under enhanced rainfall in both the spring and autumn. In contrast, abundance of the Coccoidea Lecanopsis formicarum was unaffected by the rainfall manipulations. The responses of root herbivores to an increased incidence of summer droughts are therefore likely to vary, depending on their feeding strategy and life history.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.02.010
Programmes:	CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biodiversity
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Parr
ISSN:	1164-5563
Format Availability:	Electronic, Print
Additional Keywords:	climate change, Coccoidea, Elateridae, enhanced rainfall, root-feeder, soil fauna, soil moisture, summer drought, wireworm
NORA Subject Terms:	Meteorology and Climatology Agriculture and Soil Science Zoology
Date made live:	01 Aug 2007 13:38 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/668

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.02.010

Programmes:

CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biodiversity

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Parr

ISSN:

1164-5563

Format Availability:

Electronic, Print