Variations in trophic niches of soil microarthropods with elevation in two distant mountain regions in Eurasia as indicated by stable isotopes (15N, 13C)

Pan, Xue; Xie, Zhijing; Zhou, Zheng; Sun, Xin; Liu, Dong; Wu, Donghui; Scheu, Stefan; Maraun, Mark

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2023.109162

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…However, few studies focus on changes in trophic niches across elevation gradients, where data on belowground communities are especially scarce. Fischer et al ( 2014 ) as well as Pan et al ( 2023b ) found varying responses in trophic niches of oribatid mites with elevation, indicating changes in soil food web interactions along elevation gradients.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Trophic niches of Collembola communities change with elevation, but also with body size and life form

Lux,

Xie,

Sun

et al. 2024

Oecologia

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Climate change will likely increase habitat loss of endemic tree species and drives forest conversion in mountainous forests. Elevation gradients provide the opportunity to predict possible consequences of such changes. While species compositions of various taxa have been investigated along elevation gradients, data on trophic changes in soil-dwelling organisms are scarce. Here, we investigated trophic changes of the Collembola communities along the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, China. We sampled Collembola in primary forests at seven elevations (800–1700 m asl). We measured individual body lengths and bulk stable isotopes on species level. We further categorized Collembola species into life forms. The community-weighted means of Δ15N and Δ13C values as well as minimum Δ15N values and isotopic uniqueness of Collembola communities increased with increasing elevation, while the range of Δ15N values decreased. Maximum and minimum of Δ13C values differed between elevations but showed no linear trend. Further, Δ15N values of Collembola species occurring across all elevations increased with elevation. Changes in Δ15N values with elevation were most pronounced in hemiedaphic species, while Δ13C values increased strongest with elevation in euedaphic species. Δ15N values increased with decreasing body size in hemiedaphic and euedaphic species. Overall, the results suggest that Collembola species functioning as primary decomposers at lower elevations shift towards functioning as secondary decomposers or even predators or scavengers at higher elevation forests. The results further indicate that access to alternative food resources depends on Collembola life form as well as body size and varies between ecosystems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%