Abstract

The study focused on soil macroarthropods, exploring their characteristics, environmental interactions, and role in soil nutrient dynamics—a subject that has been relatively understudied. To fill this gap, research was conducted in a temperate forest of Darma Valley, District Pithoragarh, Kumaun Himalaya, India. The forest was divided into two segments: A (disturbed) and B (undisturbed), based on anthropogenic pressure related to tree felling and lopping. The study spanned three months (July to September) over two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. Soil properties, including soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), soil moisture content (SMC), and pH, were analyzed. Data analysis employed techniques such as analysis of variance, total abundance, relative abundance, and correlation. The findings revealed significant differences in SMC, SOC, pH and AP between the two forest segments. A total of 2871 soil macroarthropods were sampled, representing 5 classes and 14 orders, with higher abundance found in the undisturbed forest segment B. While the species richness of soil macroarthropods remained relatively consistent, noticeable variations were observed in terms of total abundance and relative abundance across different orders. The relative abundance of soil macroarthropods was primarily influenced by soil pH and soil temperature.

Key words: Environmental factors, Forest ecosystem, relative abundance, species richness, soil properties.