Can changes in litter quality drive soil fauna structure and functions

Crop residues restitution has significant impacts on soil biota, as it constitutes the main carbon (C) source in cultivated system, and differently alters belowground communities depending on its initial quality. However, functional consequences of such changes have mainly been studied considering few taxa, and less is known on the effects of biota differentiation in complex, un-manipulated communities. To evaluate the role of litters diverging qualities on soil fauna assemblages and functions during decomposition, we incorporated into the soil two litters of different qualities (high: pea or low: barley) in a long-term experimental research station studying the impacts of different cultural practices in Northern France. We measured initially and after 7 and 11 months the abundance and composition of main functional groups of soil fauna: bacterial-feeders, fungal-feeders, meso- and macro-detritivores. In parallel, we followed litter mass loss and quality, enzymatic activities (hydrolytic and oxidative), soil mineral N content, microbial and fungal biomass.