02867naa a2200205 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000210006024501200008126000090020152020150021070000170222570000170224270000140225970000200227370000150229370000160230870000160232477303210234013149532008-09-25       2008    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aDICKOW, K. M. C.  aSoil macrofauna contribution in decomposition processes of different plant species in the southern Mata Atlântica.  c2008  aThe contribution of soil fauna in decomposition processes of areas in the southern part of the Brazilian Mata Atlântica was studied in three different regeneration stages of lowland and submountain rainforests. Therefore abundance, biomass and structure of soil macrofauna communities was determined and the leaf decomposition rates of three plant species (Andira anthelminthica, Sloanea guianensis and Tibouchina pulchra) assessed by using three different mesh-sizes of litterbags (0.02, 0.5 mm and 4 mm). Decomposition of the three leaf species differed strongly. Tibouchina pulchra leaves disintegrated almost two times faster than the ones of Sloanea guianensis and about three times faster than Andira anthelminthica. Furthermore it was the only species were leaf decomposition was affected by soil fauna. Decomposition rates increased from the youngest to the oldest succession stage. All six sites were very much alike regarding the structure of their soil macro-arthropod communities. Ants strongly dominated in terms of abundance and biomass, but most are generalists or predators. They had a negative effect on decomposition rates, probably by influencing the decomposer community. Abundant decomposers were diplopods and in the older stages also termites. While beetles occur with high abundances in all sites, due to their minute size they were not important in terms of biomass. In this regard cockroaches, diplopods and isopods were most important. Concerning the abundance or biomass of arthropods, neither the two different forest formations nor the regeneration stages differed considerably and in a way interpretable as succession. In contrast, abundance and biomass of earthworms, e.g. of the peregrine species Pontoscolex corethrurus, were much higher in the sub-mountain forests than in the lowland forests. The different decomposition rates of Tibouchina pulchra in different sites are well explained by the respective biomass of soil decomposer macrofauna, especially of the earthworms.1 aROCHA, A. A.1 aMAREQUES, R.1 aHOFER, H.1 aSCHEUERMANN, L.1 aROMBKE, J.1 aFORSTER, B.1 aSCHMIDT, P.  tIn: INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON SOIL ZOOLOGY, 15; INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON APTERYGOTA, 12., 2008, Curitiba. Biodiversity, conservation and sustainabele management of soil animal: abstracts. Colombo: Embrapa Florestas. Editors: George Gardner Brown; Klaus Dieter Sautter; Renato Marques; Amarildo Pasini. 1 CD-ROM.