The characteristics of soil fauna communities in three forest-grass patterns in Deyang, China

This study was conducted to study the composition and community structure of soil fauna in three types of forest-grass patterns (Juglans regia+Medicago sativa, Cichorium intybus and Dactylis glomerata), and a pure Juglans woodland was applied as a control group in Deyang, Sichuan Province. The results showed that, A total of 303 specimens of soil faunas was found in this study, which were belonged to 3 phylum, 7 classes and 17 orders. Of those, Nematoda, Hymenoptera and Acarina were the dominant groups. The soil fauna was found to gather on the surface of earth in three types of forest-grass pattern, while the order of soil fauna density was 5-10 cm>10-15 cm>0-5 cm. In addition, the diversity of Shannon-Wiener index and DG (Density-groups) index of soil fauna was the highest in the J. regia+M. sativa pattern while the lowest DG index in pure woodland that possessed the highest Pielou index; The J. regia+M. sativa pattern has a significant difference to the pure woodland pattern in individual number of soil fauna, but on the area of species of groups are similar to the pure woodland pattern, and it had a highest proportion of Saprozoic fauna in four patterns. In summary, the three forest-grass patterns can enrich the composition of soil fauna communities, and highest abundant soil fauna was observed in J. regia+M. sativa pattern.