Dynamics of soil fauna in Da Hinggan Mountains, Northeast China

The dynamics of soil animals was studied in seven representative forest communities in the north of the Da Hinggan Mountains, Northeast China. The results indicate that it was distinctive in the changes of the numbers of soil animals and groups and diversity in relationship with seasons for macrofauna and torso-micro fauna in the study area. The numbers of the observed soil animals in different months were: October>August>June. Group number was larger in August and October, but smaller in June. The change of diversity index in different months was: August>June>October. The biomass for macrofanna in different months was: October>June>August. The composition and number of each functional group was relatively stable. In the community of the predominant soil environment, the percentage of saprophagous animals was higher than carnivorous animals and herbivorous animals. The dynamics changes of saprophagous and carnivorous animals were distinctive, increasing from June to October, while the change of herbivorous animals was unremarkable.