Dynamics and relationships of Ca, Mg, Fe in litter, soil fauna and soil in Pinus koraiensis-broadleaf mixed forest

The Liangshui Natural Reserve in Heilongjiang Province of China was selected as the study area. The authors collected the samples of forest litter (Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus mandshurica, Pinus koraiensis, Acer mono, Betula costata, and mixed litter), soil in humus horizon (0–5cm) and soil horizon (5–20cm), and soil macrofauna (Oligochaeta, Geophiloporpha and Juliformia) from 2001 to 2002. The role of soil macrofauna in the material cycle was analyzed through comparing the macro-element contents among various parts of the subsystems and using enrichment index (EI). The results indicate that dynamic changes of various litters are very complicated. The contents of Fe in each kind of litter increase firstly, and then decrease in the study period. The changes of macro-element contents are greater in the broad-leaf litter than in the coniferous litter, and the mixed litter is in the middle level, but the differences among them are not significant. The contents of Mg and Fe in humus are higher than those in soil, but the contents of Ca in soil are higher than that in humus. The dynamic changes of macro-element contents in soil and soil fauna are not consistent with those in litter. The diplopod presented obvious enrichment of Ca and Mg (EI>1), but it does not significantly enrich Fe. Earthworm has a stronger enrichment ability of Fe than diplopod and scolopendra, but EI<1. Soil fauna can make great influences on the material cycle of the subsystems. Foundation item: Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40171053)