Fire-Derived Charcoal Attracts Microarthropods in the Litter of Boreal Deciduous Forest

Larch forests in the permafrost zone of Eastern Eurasia are exposed to frequent wildfires, which expected increase with climate warming. However, little is known about how fire-derived charcoal linked decomposition process these forests. Fire-derived can affect faunal communities forest litter. In a two-year field litterbag experiment, we investigated effect on colonisation by microarthropods (Collembola and Acari) three decomposing litter species dominant boreal larch Charcoal addition led an average 15% decrease body size collembola but significantly increased their abundance 5 times throughout experiment acari 1.5 second year decomposition, this was consistent across all species. The microarthropod community may have hampered microbial activity mass loss rate presence charcoal. altered composition, increasing proportion up 20% compared acari. difference abiotic conditions (increased water content during dry periods) induced more substantial factor determining than forest. Our results indicate that influences biological drivers forests, stimulating growth