Collembolan Assemblages Response to Wild Boars (Sus scrofa L.) Rooting in Pine Forest Soil

Abstract

Collembola are an important component of soil communities in all terrestrial ecosystems. In temperate coniferous forests, they are one of the most numerous invertebrate groups, and disturbances that change their density and structure may have negative effects on soil fertility and productivity. Our goal was to determine whether intensive rooting in the forest floor by wild boars affects edaphic Collembola. Soil samples from three paired rooted and non-rooted plots in Scots pine stands were taken twice a year to study the impact of such bioturbation on forest collembolan assemblages. Substantial changes in the taxonomic and functional structure of the collembolan assemblages were identified in all disturbed plots. The abundance and number of species significantly decreased in the bioturbated forest floor. The shares of atmobiotic and hemiedaphic springtails increased at the expense of epedaphic forms. Most of the differences were evident shortly after grubbing but were not significant a few months later. The decline in moisture in disturbed soil could be an explanatory factor causing the differences in the structure and abundance of collembolan assemblages between the bioturbated and intact plots. Our study revealed that large mammals ubiquitous in forest ecosystems can be an important disturbing factor for soil microarthropods. Intensive wild boar rooting in the forest floor had a strong negative effect on the occurrence and abundance of Collembola. This kind of bioturbation also modified the functional structure of assemblages, which in turn may have important consequences for the soil food web and above- and belowground interactions.

Anthropogenic and Environmental Factors Determining Local Favourable Conditions for Wolves during the Cold Season

“…During winter, evergreen forests (i.e., conifers)-which, in our case, positively affected WRS occurrence-play the role of winter refuge, determining local thermal and trophic favourable conditions for prey species [56][57][58][59]. Coniferous forest, normally associated with steep slopes, are also considered elective winter escape terrain for wild ungulates to avoid human disturbance [59,60], determining a high encounter rate with prey species.…”

“…Although open habitats expose grazers to high predation risk, determining a higher encounter rate with predators as they are more easily detectable than in covered habitats, when high quality forage is available, the risk is justified by a positive cost-benefit balance [65]. However, in this case study, a howling survey was performed in winter, when snow cover is extensive and grazers commonly prefer to stay inside or along the edges of thermal refuges as evergreen hiding-cover [56][57][58][59]. Furthermore, as recorded in a similar central Apennine area [66], wolves avoided open scavenging sites where free-ranging dogs are present.…”

Comparative Effects of Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) Rooting on the Chemical Properties of Soils in Natural and Post-Fire Environments of the Edough Forest Massif (Northeastern Algeria)

“…The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is one of the most controversial wild species due to its invasive and prolific nature, ranking among the top 100 worst invasive species responsible for agricultural crop damage and conflicts with humans [1][2][3]. However, this ecosystem engineer plays a crucial role in its native habitats, including forests: it regulates the density of plant species and disperses fruit seeds through its feces, facilitating the spread of various (including invasive) plant species [4][5][6][7][8]. It contributes to the balance of populations in the trophic chain, particularly for insects and micromammals.…”