Soil invertebrate abundance, diversity, and community composition across steep high elevation snowmelt gradients in the European Alps

We studied abundance, diversity, and composition of soil invertebrates along snowmelt gradients to generally understand how animal communities are responding life conditions across snowbeds a west–east transect the European Alps create reference inventory for future investigations climate change effects on snowbed habitats. extracted microarthropods (collembolans, oribatid mites) macroinvertebrates (spiders, beetles, insect larvae) from cores taken three sections gradient: high (early snowmelt), middle, low (late snowmelt) sections. Linear models showed no correlations between either or time densities animals. A small, though statistically significant, variation in organic matter sand contents porosity soils seems have effect invertebrates. Species found gradient were similar shares generalist specialist species. Microarthropod community general was driven by content; macroinvertebrate we specific driver. conclude that invertebrate species assemblages rather Alps.