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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
10:20
Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
Shift in Soil Fauna Feeding Mode With Litter Quality Across Forest Biomes
Sergey M Tsurikov1, Andrew D Barnes2, Ulrich Brose3,4
1A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
Ecology Letters
|June 21, 2026
Summary
Soil fauna shifts feeding strategies from detritivory to microbivory as litter quality declines. This shift, crucial for soil carbon cycling, is primarily driven by litter quality, with climate playing a secondary role.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Soil Science
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Soil fauna plays a critical role in decomposition and nutrient cycling.
- Understanding shifts in soil invertebrate feeding strategies (detritivory vs. microbivory) is vital for predicting ecosystem responses to environmental change.
- Previous research has not clearly established how environmental factors influence these feeding modes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether soil fauna feeding modes shift along environmental gradients, specifically examining the influence of litter quality and climate.
- To determine the primary drivers of the shift from detritivory to microbivory in soil invertebrates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) on 7408 soil invertebrate samples.
- Collected samples from 228 forest sites spanning temperate to tropical biomes.
- Correlated isotope values with litter C:N ratio and mean annual temperature.
Main Results:
- Soil invertebrate δ15N values positively correlated with litter C:N ratio and mean annual temperature.
- Evidence suggests a shift towards microbivory under conditions of low litter quality and warmer climates.
- Soil invertebrate δ13C values showed no consistent patterns, indicating context-dependent microbial carbon processing.
Conclusions:
- Litter quality is the main driver of the detritivory-to-microbivory shift in soil fauna.
- Climate modulates this feeding strategy shift.
- Findings have significant implications for understanding terrestrial carbon cycling under changing climate and plant communities.
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