Bugs beneath the surface: the functional significance of soil macroinvertebrates to landscape health in Australia's tropical savannas

摘要

Soil macroinvertebrates play an important role in sustaining production and biodiversity in Australia's tropical savannas. For example, termites, through their foraging and nesting activities, recycle nutrients and carbon and produce soil pores that facilitate water infiltration. The challenge ahead is to quantitatively understand the relationships and processes that drive this. What roles do different species and functional groups of macroinvertebrates play in various landscape processes? What are the effects of different land management practices (e.g., domestic cattle grazing, fire) on these relationships, and the consequences for landscape health? This paper presents preliminary results from studies in northern Australia, that examine the effects of land condition and domestic cattle grazing on soil macroinvertebrates, and the potential for termites to be used as a tool to restore soil function in degraded areas. In northern Australia, increased degradation seems to be associated with declines in the diversity and activity of macroinvertebrates. Termites appear to be one of the most resilient groups, with some species capable of maintaining activity in degraded landscapes.