Participation of soil invertebrates in the organic matter decomposition in forest ecosystems of Central Siberia

The biomass of large invertebrates was studied in the soils of forest ecosystems in the forest-tundra and southern taiga of Central Siberia. Its formation is shown to be controlled by the integrated effect of the soil and climatic conditions. The distribution of the zoomass according to the main taxonomic groups testifies to the higher functional significance of the large saprophagous invertebrates in the ecosystems of the southern taiga compared to those of the forest-tundra. The quantitative contribution of the invertebrates-destroyers to the organic matter decomposition was assessed on the basis of field experiments; it was shown to be determined by the quality of the material decomposed irrespective of the conditions and time of its exposition. Every year, soil saprophages decompose 0.5–2.0% of the total phytodetritus reserves in the forest-tundra and 3–14% in the southern taiga amounting to 12–54% of its losses upon decomposition.