Invertebrates of the Cheegrass Steppe on Solonetz Soils of the Transbaikalia: Space–Time Structure
L. T. KHOBRAKOVA1, I. N. LAVRENTIEVA1,2, S. N. DANILOV1, L. L. UBUGUNOV1,2, V. I. UBUGUNOVA1,2, S. V. ZAITSEVA1
1Institute of General and Experimental Biology SB RAS, 670042, Ulan-Ude, Sakh’anovoi str., 6
2Buryat State Agricultural Academy Nаmed V. P. Philiррov, 670034, Ulan-Ude, Pushkinа str., 8
Keywords: invertebrate animals, cheegrass (Achnаtherum splendens (Trin.) Nevski) community, solonetz, population structure, biomass, seasonal activity dynamics, Transbaikalia
Abstract
As a result of soil study and zoological researches conducted on solonetz soils of Transbaikalia in the cheegrass (Achnаtherum splendens (Trin.) Nevski) steppe, the structure, dominant groups and features of space-time distribution of invertebrates were defined. The peculiarities of the zoological complex were poor taxonomic diversity, small number of invertebrates, and low biomass. The factors limiting the activity of invertebrates were detected: poor botanical composition of the soil, low moisture content and soil temperature, physical and chemical properties of the soil and its salinity. The study of the spatial distribution of invertebrates showed that cheegrass was the basic edificator of the community. In Transbaikalia, depending on the seasonal precipitation, the two main types of invertebrate communities can be formed: desert-steppe and meadow-steppe. The variety and abundance of the invertebrates caught in traps positively correlated with precipitation amount and had negative correlation with the temperature. The size of cheegrass root system had the greatest impact on the distribution of the invertebrates.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1134/S1995425515010072
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