Abstract
Soil Collembola communities were investigated in spruce forest stands of the High Tatra Mts that had been heavily damaged by a windstorm in November 2004 and subsequently by a wildfire in July 2005. The study focused on the impact of these disturbances and forestry practices on collembolan community distribution and structure 4 years after the disturbance. Four different treatments were selected for this study: intact forest stands (REF), non-extracted windthrown stands (NEX), clear-cut windthrown stands (EXT) and burnt windthrown stands (FIR). From a total of 7,820 individuals, 72 species were identified. The highest total abundance mean was recorded in FIR stands followed by NEX and EXT stands and, surprisingly, the lowest in REF stands. The highest total species richness was observed in REF stands, followed by NEX stands and FIR stands and the lowest in EXT stands. In REF and NEX stands, the most abundant species were Folsomia penicula and Tetracanthella fjellbergi, while in heavily damaged stands, the most abundant was Anurophorus laricis. The ordination method used demonstrated a significant influence of treatment on the abundance of Collembola. ANOVA used confirmed significant differences for all dominant species between treatments. The present study shows the negative impact of windthrow on Collembola communities as reflected in decreased species richness and abundance. However, disturbance by fire caused a considerable increase in collembolan abundance 3 years after the event. Moreover, we show that clearing of windthrown spruce forests after a windstorm is less favourable for communities of soil collembolans and slows down the recovery process.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bretfeld, G. (1999). Symphypleona. In W. Dunger (Ed.), Synopses on Palaearctic Collembola, vol. 2. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums, Görlitz.
Brůhová, J., & Rusek, J. (2005). Epigeic activity of eight common Collembola species in spruce forests and clearings after dark beetle outbreaks in the Šumava National Park, Czech republic. In K. Tajovský, J. Schlaghamerský, & V. Pižl (Eds.), Contributions to soil zoology in Central Europe I (pp. 1–5). České Budĕjovice: ISB AS CR.
Čerevková, A., & Renčo, M. (2009). Soil nematode community changes associated with windfall and wildfire in forest soil at the High Tatras National Park, Slovak Republic. Helminthologia, 46, 123–130.
Coleman, T. W., & Rieske, L. K. (2006). Arthropod response to prescription burning at the soil–litter interface in oak-pine forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 233, 52–60.
Crossley, D. A., & Blair, J. M. (1991). A high efficiency, “low-technology” Tullgren-type extractor for soil microarthropods. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 34, 187–192.
Čuchta, P., Kováč, Ľ., Miklisová, D. (2009). The effect of windthrow in the spruce forests of the High Tatras (Slovakia) on soil microarthropods one year after a severe wind calamity with special reference to Collembola (Hexapoda). In K. Tajovský, J. Schlaghamerský, V. Pižl (Eds.), Contributions to soil zoology in Central Europe III (pp. 13–18). České Budějovice: ISB AS CR, v.v.i..
Čuchta, P., Kováč, Ľ., & Miklisová, D. (2010). Abundance of ten common Collembola species in spruce forests in the High Tatra Mts (Slovakia) three years after windthrow. Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae, 74, 21–29.
Čuchta, P., Miklisová, D., & Kováč, Ľ. (2012a). Changes within collembolan communities in windthrown European montane spruce forests two years after disturbance by fire. Annals of Forest Science, 69, 81–92.
Čuchta, P., Miklisová, D., & Kováč, Ľ. (2012b). A three-year study of soil Collembola communities in spruce forest stands of the High Tatra Mts (Slovakia) after a catastrophic windthrow event. European Journal of Soil Biology, 50, 151–158.
Dale, V. H., Joyce, L. A., McNulty, S., Neilson, R. P., Ayres, M. P., Flannigan, M. D., et al. (2001). Climate change and forest disturbances. BioScience, 51, 723–734.
Deharveng, L. (1996). Soil Collembola diversity, endemism, and reforestation: a case study in the Pyrenees (France). Conservation Biology, 10, 74–84.
Dress, W. J., & Boerner, R. E. J. (2004). Patterns of microarthropod abundance in oak-hickory forest ecosystems in relation to prescribed fire and landscape position. Pedobiologia, 48, 1–8.
Duelli, P., Obrist, M. K., & Wermelinger, B. (2002). Windthrow-induced changes in faunistic biodiversity in alpine spruce forests. Forest Snow and Landscape Research, 77, 117–131.
Falťan, V., Bánovský, M., Jančuška, D., Saksa, M. (2008). Zmeny krajinnej pokrývky úpätia Vysokých Tatier po veternej kalamite. Bratislava: Geo-grafika. (in Slovak)
Fjellberg, A. (1998). The Collembola of Fennoscandia and Denmark, Part I: Poduromorpha. In N.P. Kristensen, V. Michelsen (Eds.), Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica, vol. 35, Brill.
Gömöryová, E., Střelcová, K., Škvarenina, J., Bebej, J., & Gömöry, D. (2008). The impact of windthrow and fire disturbances on selected soil properties in the Tatra National Park. Soil and Water Research, 3, 74–80.
Gömöryová, E., Střelcová, K., Fleischer, P., & Gömöry, D. (2011). Soil microbial characteristics at the monitoring plots on windthrow areas of the Tatra National Park (Slovakia): their assessment as environmental indicators. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 174, 31–45.
Henig-Sever, N., Poliakov, D., & Broza, M. (2001). A novel method for estimation of wild fire intensity based on ash pH and soil microarthropod community. Pedobiologia, 45, 98–106.
Ilisson, T., Köster, K., Vodde, F., & Jõgiste, K. (2007). Regeneration development 4–5 years after a storm in Norway spruce dominated forests, Estonia. Forest Ecology and Management, 250, 17–24.
Johnstone, J. F., & Stuart Chapin, F., III. (2006). Effects of soil burn severity on post-fire tree recruitment in boreal forest. Ecosystems, 9, 14–31.
Jonášová, M., Vávrová, E., & Cudlín, P. (2010). Western Carpathian mountain spruce forest after a windthrow: natural regeneration in cleared and uncleared areas. Forest Ecology and Management, 259, 1127–1134.
Králová, M., Dražďák, K., Pospíšil, F., Hadačová, V., Klozová, E., Luštinec, J., et al. (1991). Vybrané metody chemické analýzy půd a rostlin. Prague: Academia. in Czech.
Kubíková, J. (1970). Geobotanické praktikum. Prague: SPN. (in Czech)
Kunca, A., Zúbrik, M. (2006). Vetrová kalamita z 19. novembra 2004. Zvolen: Národné lesnícke centrum. (in Slovak)
Malmström, A., Perrson, T., Ahlström, K., Gongalsky, K. B., & Bengtsson, J. (2009). Dynamics of soil meso- and macrofauna during a 5-year period after clear-cut burning in a boreal forest. Applied Soil Ecology, 43, 61–74.
McCune, B., Mefford, M.J. (2011). PC-ORD. Multivariate analysis of ecological data. Version 6.07. Gleneden Beach: MjM Software.
Murphy, J., & Riley, J. P. (1962). A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural waters. Analytica Chimica Acta, 27, 31–36.
Nedoma, J. (1990). Práce s iontově selektivními elektrodami. Rostlinná výroba, 36, 667–670. (in Czech).
Pomorski, R.J. (1998). Onychiurinae of Poland (Collembola: Onychiuridae). Wrocław: BS.
Ponge, J.-F. (2003). Humus forms in terrestrial ecosystems: a framework to biodiversity. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 35, 935–945.
Ponge, J.-F., Dubs, F., Gillet, S., Sousa, J. P., & Lavelle, P. (2006). Decreased biodiversity in soil springtail communities: the importance of dispersal and landuse history in heterogeneous landscapes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 38, 1158–1161.
Potapov, M.B. (2001). Isotomidae. In W. Dunger (Ed.), Synopses on Palaearctic Collembola, vol. 3. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums, Görlitz.
Rusek, J. (1998). Biodiversity of Collembola and their functional role in the ecosystem. Biodiversity and Conservation, 7, 1207–1219.
Rusek, J. (2006). Závĕrečná zpráva o řešení projektu VaV za roky 2004–2005. Projekt VaV ev. č. SM/6/1/04 „Výzkum a monitoring biodiverzity půdní fauny a humusu ve smrčinách postižených kůrovcem v CHKO Šumava“. České Budĕjovice: BC AV ČR, Ústav půdní biologie. (in Czech)
Šantrůčková, H., Tahovská, K., & Kopáček, J. (2009). Nitrogen transformations and pools in N-saturated mountain spruce forest soils. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 45, 395–404.
Schelhaas, M. J., Nabuurs, G. J., & Schuck, A. (2003). Natural disturbances in the European forests in the 19th and 20th centuries. Global Change Biology, 9, 1620–1633.
Siira-Pietikäinen, A., & Haimi, J. (2009). Changes in soil fauna 10 years after forest harvesting: comparison between clear felling and green-tree retention methods. Forest Ecology and Management, 258, 332–338.
Šoltés, R., Školek, J., Homolová, Z., & Kyselová, Z. (2010). Early successional pathways in the Tatra Mountains (Slovakia) forest ecosystems following natural disturbances. Biologia, 65, 958–964.
Sommers, L. E., & Nelson, D. W. (1972). Determination of total phosphorus in soils: a rapid perchloric acid digestion procedure. Proceedings - Soil Science Society of America, 36, 902–904.
StatSoft, Inc. (2009). STATISTICA (data analysis software system), version 9.0. www.statsoft.com.
Szeptycki, A. (1967). Fauna of the springtails (Collembola) of the Ojcow National Park in Poland. Acta zoologica cracoviensia, 12, 219–280.
Tahovská, K., Kopáček, J., & Šantrůčková, H. (2010). Nitrogen availability in Norway spruce forest floor—the effect of forest defoliation induced by bark beetle infestation. Boreal Environment Research, 15, 553–564.
Tajovský, K. (2002). Soil macrofauna (Diplopoda, Chilopoda, Onsicidea) in a pine forest disturbed by wildfire. In K. Tajovský, V. Balík, & V. Pižl (Eds.), Studies on soil fauna in Central Europe (pp. 227–232). České Budějovice: ISB AS CR.
Thibaud, J.-M., Schulz, H.-J. da Gama Assalino, M.M. (2004). Hypogastruridae. In W. Dunger, (Ed.), Synopses on Palaearctic Collembola, vol. 4. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums, Görlitz.
Urbanovičová, V., Kováč, Ľ., & Miklisová, D. (2010). Epigeic arthropod communities of spruce forest stands in the High Tatra Mts (Slovakia) with special reference to Collembola—first year after windthrow. Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae, 74, 21–29.
Van Straalen, N. M. (1998). Evaluation of bioindicator systems derived from soil arthropod communities. Applied Soil Ecology, 9, 429–437.
Watanabe, F. S., & Olsen, S. R. (1965). Test of ascorbic acid method for determining phosphates in water and sodium bicarbonate extracts from soils. Proceedings—Soil Science Society of America, 29, 677–680.
Wermelinger, B., Duelli, P., Obrist, M.K. (2003). Windthrow stimulates arthropod diversity in forests. Proceedings of the International Symposium (pp. 79–82), Mantova, May 29–31, 2003.
Wikars, L.-O., & Schimmel, J. (2001). Immediate effects of fire-severity on soil invertebrates in cut and uncut pine forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 141, 189–200.
Zimdars, B., Dunger, W. (1994). Tullbergiinae. In W. Dunger (Ed.), Synopses on Palaearctic Collembola, vol. 1. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums, Görlitz.
Acknowledgments
The study was supported by the Slovak Scientific Grant Agency VEGA project no. 1/0282/11. We wish to thank Dr. Karel Tajovský and Prof. Šantrůčková (Biological Centre CAS, České Budějovice) for the soil chemical analyses. We thank also Dr. Peter Fleischer and Dr. Barbara Chovancová (Administration of the Tatra National Park, Tatranská Lomnica) for their help during the field work. We are grateful to Kieran Green for language revision of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix
Appendix
List of Collembola species and their mean abundance (individuals per square metre) in study stands in the High Tatra Mts in 2008 (for abbreviations of treatments, see text)
Abbreviation | Species | REF | NEX | EXT | FIR | A total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALFU | Allacma fusca (Linné, 1758) | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
APCU | Anurophorus cuspidatus Stach, 1922 | 33 | 0 | 2,900 | 1,417 | 1,088 |
APLA | Anurophorus laricis Nicolet, 1842 | 67 | 767 | 4,850 | 18,350 | 6,008 |
CEAR | Ceratophysella armata (Nicolet, 1841) | 450 | 17 | 217 | 4,250 | 1,233 |
CEDE | Ceratophysella denticulata (Bagnall, 1941) | 17 | 83 | 0 | 2,933 | 758 |
CESI | Ceratophysella sigillata (Uzel, 1891) | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
CESU | Ceratophysella succinea (Gisin, 1949) | 17 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 8 |
DRDI | Desoria divergens (Axelson, 1900) | 50 | 33 | 0 | 17 | 25 |
DRDU | Desoria duodecemoculata (Denis, 1927) | 300 | 0 | 633 | 317 | 313 |
DRVO | Desoria violacea (Tullberg, 1876) | 117 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 42 |
DP | Deuteraphorura sp. juv. | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
DC | Dicyrtoma sp. juv. | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
EN | Entomobryidae juv. | 17 | 33 | 83 | 183 | 79 |
FOIN | Folsomia inoculata Stach, 1947 | 100 | 33 | 0 | 17 | 38 |
FOMA | Folsomia manolachei Bagnall, 1939 | 217 | 383 | 1,483 | 867 | 738 |
FOPE | Folsomia penicula Bagnall, 1939 | 9,383 | 5,250 | 1,933 | 3,767 | 5,083 |
FOSE | Folsomia sensibilis Kseneman, 1936 | 450 | 183 | 200 | 100 | 233 |
FRMI | Friesea mirabilis (Tullberg, 1871) | 3,650 | 1,200 | 1,617 | 433 | 1,725 |
FRTR | Friesea truncata Cassagnau, 1958 | 1,767 | 1,550 | 1,450 | 533 | 1,325 |
HELI | Heterosminthurus linnaniemi (Stach, 1919) | 17 | 0 | 267 | 0 | 71 |
HPPO | Hymenaphorura polonica Pomorski, 1990 | 17 | 33 | 67 | 17 | 33 |
ILMI | Isotomiella minor (Schäffer, 1896) | 3,233 | 1,917 | 3,133 | 1,267 | 2,388 |
LELA | Lepidocyrtus lanuginosus (Gmelin, 1788) | 0 | 0 | 17 | 67 | 21 |
LELI | Lepidocyrtus lignorum (Fabricius, 1775) | 367 | 100 | 583 | 200 | 313 |
MGMI | Megalothorax minimus Willem, 1900 | 200 | 133 | 67 | 33 | 108 |
MSCR | Mesaphorura critica Ellis, 1976 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 |
MSHY | Mesaphorura hylophila Rusek, 1982 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 33 | 13 |
MSMA | Mesaphorura macrochaeta Rusek, 1976 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 8 |
MSSY | Mesaphorura sylvatica (Rusek, 1971) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 |
MSTE | Mesaphorura tenuisensillata Rusek, 1974 | 133 | 17 | 83 | 17 | 63 |
MSYO | Mesaphorura yosii (Rusek, 1967) | 0 | 17 | 183 | 0 | 50 |
MEOJ | Mesogastrura ojcoviensis (Stach, 1919) | 17 | 167 | 50 | 83 | 79 |
MIFO | Micranurida forsslundi Gisin, 1949 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
MIGR | Micranurida granulata (Agrell, 1943) | 33 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 13 |
MIPY | Micranurida pygmaea Börner, 1901 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
MRAB | Micraphorura absoloni (Börner, 1901) | 150 | 133 | 383 | 333 | 250 |
NEMI | Neanura minuta Gisin, 1963 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 17 | 13 |
NEPS | Neanura pseudoparva Rusek, 1963 | 33 | 167 | 33 | 33 | 67 |
NE01 | Neanura sp. 1 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
OPCR | Oncopodura crassicornis Shoebotham, 1911 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 33 | 13 |
ORBI | Orchesella bifasciata Nicolet, 1842 | 0 | 233 | 17 | 167 | 104 |
ORFL | Orchesella flavescens (Bourlet, 1839) | 33 | 33 | 17 | 117 | 50 |
ISNO | Parisotoma notabilis (Schäffer, 1896) | 217 | 617 | 1,033 | 1,067 | 733 |
PGFL | Pogonognathellus flavescens (Tullberg, 1871) | 0 | 83 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
PRAR | Protaphorura armata (Tullberg, 1869) | 933 | 2,150 | 933 | 4,117 | 2,033 |
PRAU | Protaphorura aurantiaca (Ridley, 1880) | 383 | 1,550 | 1,833 | 1,050 | 1,204 |
PRCM | Protaphorura campata (Gisin, 1952) | 300 | 17 | 817 | 67 | 300 |
PRCA | Protaphorura cancellata (Gisin, 1956) | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
PRFI | Protaphorura fimata (Gisin, 1952) | 33 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 17 |
PRGI | Protaphorura gisini (Haybach, 1960) | 17 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 17 |
PRPA | Protaphorura pannonica (Haybach, 1960) | 433 | 67 | 2,383 | 733 | 904 |
PRTR | Protaphorura tricampata (Gisin, 1956) | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
PCCO | Pseudachorutes corticicolus (Schäffer, 1896) | 33 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
PCDU | Pseudachorutes dubius Krausbauer, 1898 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 8 |
PCLA | Pseudachorutes laricis Arbea & Jordana, 1984 | 0 | 33 | 17 | 0 | 13 |
PCPA | Pseudachorutes parvulus Börner, 1901 | 33 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
PCSU | Pseudachorutes subcrassus Tullberg, 1871 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
PABI | Pseudanurophorus binoculatus Kseneman, 1934 | 433 | 83 | 83 | 0 | 150 |
PSHO | Pseudosinella horaki Rusek, 1985 | 433 | 100 | 383 | 167 | 271 |
PS01 | Pseudosinella sp. 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 13 |
PSZY | Pseudosinella zygophora (Schille, 1908) | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
SCUN | Schoettella ununguiculata (Tullberg, 1869) | 17 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 13 |
SNEL | Sminthurinus elegans (Fitch, 1863) | 800 | 917 | 583 | 100 | 600 |
SM | Sminthurus sp. juv. | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 4 |
SP | Sphaeridia juv. | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
TEFJ | Tetracanthella fjellbergi Deharveng, 1987 | 650 | 12,900 | 0 | 100 | 3,413 |
TOMR | Tomocerus minor (Lubbock, 1802) | 217 | 133 | 100 | 233 | 171 |
WLAN | Willemia anophthalma Börner, 1901 | 717 | 50 | 33 | 0 | 200 |
WLBE | Willemia bedosae D’Haese, 1998 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
WLDE | Willemia denisi Mills, 1932 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 |
WLSC | Willemia scandinavica Stach, 1949 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
WLVI | Willemia virae Kaprus, 1977 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
XEBO | Xenylla boerneri Axelson, 1905 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Čuchta, P., Miklisová, D. & Kováč, Ľ. The impact of disturbance and ensuing forestry practices on Collembola in monitored stands of windthrown forest in the Tatra National Park (Slovakia). Environ Monit Assess 185, 5085–5098 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2927-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2927-z