Response of soil fauna to fertilization and manipulation of pH in coniferous forests.

Abstract

Both ash and urea resulted in considerable changes in the soil fauna. Nematodes, especially bacterial feeders, increased temporarily. Some families of Coleoptera invaded the urea-treated plots. Enchytraeid worms and several microarthropod species decreased, as well as the total animal biomass. Ash-treatment influenced more slowly than did urea-fertilizing, but it caused more permanent changes. Ammonium nitrate with lime had little influence. The pH alone proved to explain most of the changes observed, but N as a nutrient also plays role independently of acidity. -from Authors