Influence of patch size and resource quantity on litter invertebrate assemblages in dry treeholes

Compared with aquatic invertebrate assemblages in water-filled treeholes, little is known about how strongly patch size or resource quantity affects the terrestrial invertebrate assemblages in dry treeholes. Therefore, we examined the factors that affect terrestrial invertebrate assemblages in dry treeholes using a field experiment with artificial treeholes and by investigating natural treeholes, both in broad-leaved forests in central Japan.

In the artificial treeholes, final litter density (final litter weight per unit treehole volume), which indicates the extent of resource concentration, was positively correlated with total invertebrate abundance and negatively correlated with the proportion of litter remaining at the end of the experiment. These results suggest that greater litter density results in an increase in both invertebrate abundance and litter decomposition.