Spruce monoculture establishment affects functional traits of soil microarthropod communities

Structure and density of soil microarthropod communities (Oribatida and Collembola) were studied in one natural beech forest and one spruce monoculture planted on a former beech stand in South Bohemia (Czech Republic). The spruce monoculture establishment increased microarthropod densities (93,000 ind. m−2 in the natural beech forest vs. 400,540 ind. m−2 in the spruce monoculture for Oribatida; 66,360 ind. m−2 in the natural beech forest vs. 136,360 ind. m−2 in the spruce monoculture for Collembola); additionally, it changed greatly the community structure in terms of species composition and functional traits. In the spruce monoculture, groups susceptible to disturbance were suppressed. The oribatid trophic structure changed as well with opportunistic herbifungivorous species increasing in the monoculture at the expense of fungivorous species. Similarly, hemiedaphic collembolans increased in the monoculture at the expense of euedaphic species. We conclude that the “functional approach” seems to be fruitful in revealing soil fauna response to environmental change.