A field study in an acidic spruce forest soil using soil mesocosms was conducted to investigate the effects of mesofauna and macrofauna on exchangeable cations, organic matter content, base saturation, and Ca-lactate extractable nutrients. In the field, intact soil monolith were taken from the ground, defaunated by deep-freezing and wrapped in nets of various mesh-sizes to control immigration of different fauna size classes. The monoliths were then replanted in the field. Three types of treatments for the mesocosms were prepared: (1) microbiota only, (2) microbiota and mesofauna, (3) microbiota, mesofauna, and macrofauna, and macrofauna (=complex fauna). After eight months the mesocosms and unmanipulated control plots (treatment 4) were destructively sampled and submitted to chemical analysis. Generally, the exchangeable base cations and Mn¬+ showed higher contents with increasing faunal complexity, whereas the exchangeable acidic cations of Feß+ and Alß+ decreased in the monoliths with complex fauna. These effects were significant for K+, Mg¬+ and Mn¬+ in the L/F-layer and for Ca¬+, Mn¬+, Alß+ and Feß+ in the H-layer. As a possible explanation a rise of ion-binding sits in the course of enhanced humification processes is discussed. In the L/F-layer base cations showed higher concentrations in the monoliths with complex fauna as compared to the control plot, which contained intact roots. This might be due to nutrient uptake by roots in the control plot or enhanced mineralization in the monoliths with complex fauna, where roots had been cut.
181.34 (Beziehungen zu Bodennährstoffen und zur Chemie des Bodens) 114.23 (Elektrochemische Bodeneigenschaften. Ionenaustausch) 114.26 (Anorganische Chemie des Bodens) 114.27 (Organische Chemie des Bodens)
