Battigelli, J.P., S.M. Berch and V.G. Marshall. 1994. Soil fauna communities in two distinct but adjacent forest types on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Can. J. For. Res. 1557-1566.

The composition of major soil fauna groups throughout the soil profile in adjacent old growth western red cedar (Thuja plicata)/western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) and mature hemlock/amabilis fir (Abies amabilis) forests on N. Vancouver Island was compared at 5 times between August 1989 and March 1991, as part of an integrated study on the possible causes of poor growth of plantation Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) on cedar/hemlock clear cuts. In addition, seasonal changes in vertical distribution of soil fauna within the forest floor of both forest types was examined. Forty-one faunal groups were identified in both forest types. The hemlock/amabilis fir forest maintained a higher abundance and biomass of soil fauna than the cedar/hemlock forest. Nematoda were numerically dominant in both forest types followed by Acari, Collembola, and Copepoda. Diplopoda, Enchytraeidae, Diptera larvae, and Acari dominated soil fauna biomass in both forests. Similarity indices indicated that the forest types have similar group diversity. The majority of Nematoda, Acari, and Collembola were found in the LF and H horizons in both forest types. On average, more than 50% of the Acari and Collembola populations, and approximately 30% of the Nematoda were found in the LF horizon.