# Euedaphic Rather than Hemiedaphic or Epedaphic Collembola Are More Sensitive to Different Climate Conditions in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China

## TL;DR

This study shows that soil-dwelling springtails in China's black soil region are more affected by climate and farming practices than surface-dwelling ones.

## Contribution

The study identifies euedaphic Collembola as more climate-sensitive and highlights how land use and climate changes affect soil biodiversity.

## Key findings

- Warmer and more humid climates increase Collembola density and species richness.
- Euedaphic Collembola are more sensitive to climate differences than other life forms.
- Environmental factors have a stronger influence on Collembola communities than soil microorganisms.

## Abstract

Soil biodiversity is profoundly affected by variations in climate conditions and land use practices in the black soil region of Northeast China. While most studies focus on aboveground biodiversity, less is known about soil biodiversity. This study examined how climate and land use practices affect Collembola (springtails), a type of soil organism, in the black soil of Northeast China. Researchers sampled three climatic areas (from high to low latitudes) and three land use types (soybean, maize, and rice) in each area. They found that warmer, more humid climates and land use practices shifting from rice to soybean and maize increased Collembola density and species richness. Specifically, euedaphic Collembola (living deeper in soil) were more sensitive to climate differences, while all Collembola life forms responded positively to soybean and maize fields. Environmental factors and soil microorganisms significantly influenced Collembola communities, with environmental factors having stronger impacts. These findings suggest that the variations in climate conditions and land use types may alter the vertical distribution of soil fauna and affect related ecological processes in agricultural systems. This study highlights the importance of protecting soil biodiversity in the face of global environmental changes.

Soil biodiversity is profoundly affected by variations in climate conditions and land use practices. As one of the major grain-producing areas in China, the belowground biodiversity of the black soil region of the Northeast is also affected by the variations in climate conditions and land use types. However, most of the previous studies have focused on aboveground biodiversity, and the research of soil biodiversity is limited. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of variations in climate conditions and land use practices on Collembola communities of different life forms in the black soil region of Northeast China. Here, we selected three climatic areas from high to low latitudes in the black soil region of the Northeast, with three variations in land use practices (soybean, maize, and rice) sampled in each area. We found that higher temperatures and higher humidity and land use practices from rice to soybean and maize are associated with a higher Collembola density and species richness. Specifically, the density and species richness of euedaphic Colmbola are higher in climate conditions with higher temperatures and humidity, while the density and species richness of all three life forms of Collembola are higher in land use practices from rice to soybean and maize. Additionally, we discovered that environmental factors and feeding resources (soil microorganisms) both have significant effects on Collembola communities, with environmental factors exerting a more substantial influence. Our results suggest that euedaphic Collembola are more vulnerable to climate differences than epedaphic and hemiedaphic Collembola. Consequently, this may alter the vertical distribution characteristics of soil fauna (e.g., increasing soil-dwelling fauna) as well as the ecological processes associated with soil fauna in different agricultural environments.