Soil Fauna and Their Effects on Decomposition Within Coniferous and Deciduous Tree Soil Samples

Soils are dynamic environments that undergo constant change due to activities of the community that lives within and upon them. This dynamic system as a medium for corpse decomposition is little understood. This study investigated the decomposition of mice buried for 21 days in tubs containing freshly dug soils obtained from beneath the canopies of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Maple (Acer platanoides). These two soils contrasted in the type of humus and pH, which affects the activity of soil microfauna. Despite this, soil type had no significant effect on the decomposition rate of mouse cadavers. This could mean that differences in the soil microbiology have little impact on the rate of cadaver decomposition. However, the mass of soil significantly decreased in the soil from under the P. sylvestris canopy, suggesting increased oxidation of soil organic matter. This was attributed to the low C:N ratio of the cadaver stimulating microbial activity in the mor humus forming under P. sylvestris due to the flush of available N and alkaline substances released from the cadaver. It is also possible the relatively low microbial activity associated with mor humus may have been negated by the increased numbers of mesofauna associated with the mor humus. The role of soil mesofauna in decomposition processes has received scant attention, but clearly requires investigation.