SOIL ANIMAL COMMUNITIES IN HOLM OAK FORESTS: INFLUENCE OF HORIZON, ALTITUDE AND YEAR

Abstract Soil animals (macro and microarthropods, annelids, nematodes) were sampled along an altitudinal gradient and over 2 years in holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia) forests of the Moroccan Atlas. We studied the influence of elevation and year on the vertical distribution of soil fauna. Whatever the elevation (1500, 1700 and 1900 m), the humus form was a Dysmull, with a thick litter horizon and a fine crumb A horizon. Thirty-six categories of fauna were found and classified at the group level. The influence of horizon, altitude and year was analysed by analyses of variance (ANOVA, on seven broad zoological groups and on total fauna) and correspondence analysis (on 36 zoological groups). There was a decrease in the population size of most zoological groups from organic (OL, OF) to mineral horizons (A, S), but OL and OF horizons varied as the most populated horizon according to years and animal groups. More animals and more animal groups were present at higher elevation, following an increase in food and habitat availability.