Effects of single and repeated drought on soil microarthropods in a semi-arid ecosystem depend more on timing and duration than drought severity

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219975
• Publication Date: 2019-07-18T13:46:01Z
• Authors: Norbert Flórián; Márta Ladányi; András Ittzés; György Kröel-Dulay; Gábor Ónodi; Márton Mucsi; Tibor Szili-Kovács; Veronika Gergócs; László Dányi; Miklós Dombos
• Keywords: Soil mesofauna; Steppe

Soil moisture is one of the most important factors affecting soil biota. In arid and semi-arid ecosystems, mesofauna adapted to temporary drought events, but, until now, we have had a limited understanding impacts different magnitudes frequencies predicted occur according future climate change scenarios. The present study focuses on how springtails mites respond simulated repeated events in field experiment Hungarian sand steppe. Changes arthropod activities were monitored with trapping over two years sandy soil. first year (2014), applied an extreme pretreatment, consecutive year, less devastating treatments (severe drought, moderate water addition) these sites. pretreatment tended negative effect (either significantly or not significantly) capture all Collembola groups, whereas mite groups increased activity density. However, between control treatments, only detected differences microbial biomass. cases severe addition, did find considerable changes across microarthropods, except case epedaphic Collembola. addition duration timing manipulation seemed be more for than their severity (i.e., level decrease). We suggest that habitats, are able survive conditions, populations recover rapidly, but they may cope very long periods.