Multiple environmental controls explain global patterns in soil animal communities.

ABSTRACT: Soil animals play important roles in ecosystem functioning and stability, but the environmental controls on their communities are not fully understood. In this study, we compiled a dataset of soil animal communities for which the abundance and body mass of multiple soil animal groups were recorded. The mass-abundance scaling relationships were then used to investigate multiple environmental controls on soil animal community composition. The data reveal latitudinal shifts from high abundances of small soil animals at high latitudes to greater relative abundances of large soil animals at low latitudes. A hierarchical linear mixed effects model was applied to reveal the environmental variables shaping these latitudinal trends. The final hierarchical model identified mean annual temperature, s

SUBMITTER: Johnston ASA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7165188 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature