Influence of forest structure and soil chemistry on ants, land snails, and beetles in Balkan floodplain forests: Examining species richness and habitat preferences

Abstract

Forests in the lowlands have been altered by humans for a long time. The most influential disturbances in hardwood floodplain forests have been forest management and floods. We focused on the influence of the forest structure and soil chemistry on soil biota. The study was done in the floodplain forests of the Sava and Dunaj rivers in Serbia. Their biota was sampled through sieving the litter and soil. We found 20 invertebrate taxa with nearly 2,000 individuals. Ants, land snails, and beetles were analyzed in more detail. The species richness of land snails was associated with closed canopies and increasing magnesium and organic matter. The dominance of large oaks, a decreasing pH, and an increasing litter thickness favored ants, and beetles thrived near large trees. The study revealed different responses among taxonomic groups. The authors conclude that small-scale disturbances with most of the forest left untouched would positively influence the forest-litter community in the future. The patchy structure of lowland forests maintains a coexistence of organisms with contrasting demands.