Effects of Eucalypt Monoculture Plantations on Soil Invertebrate Communities: A Meta-Analysis

Eucalypt monoculture plantations can adversely impact soil properties. However, a thorough assessment of their effects on soil invertebrate communities is lacking, impeding our ability to acquire a deeper understanding about the potential impacts of these intensively managed plantations on soil functioning. To quantify the effects of eucalypt plantations on soil invertebrate communities, and to identify the main moderators driving these effects, we performed a meta-analysis of studies reporting the effects of eucalypt monoculture plantations in comparison with other land use types involving different potential levels of disturbance to the soil matrix (native forests, other forestry plantations, croplands, grasslands, integrated crop-livestock-forestry, and invasive copses). We addressed these effects on the density (26 studies contributing 143 comparisons) and diversity (14 studies contributing 168 comparisons) of soil invertebrates. Density was lower in eucalypt plantations than in other forestry plantations, but higher than in grasslands and integrated crop-livestock-forestry. Diversity was lower in eucalypt plantations compared to native forests, yet higher when compared with other forestry plantations. When compared with other forestry plantations, the effects of eucalypt plantations on soil invertebrates depended on the type of other forestry plantation, the mean annual temperature, and the annual precipitation. Accounting for the diverse effects of eucalypt plantations relative to other land uses and climatic factors, along with the integration of data on soil physico-chemical properties and different management practices, can contribute to a better understanding of how changes in land cover impact soil invertebrates and help managers to make informed decisions about the establishment of eucalypt plantations.