Soil macrofaunal communities develop a habitat-specific trophic structure dependent on the degree of degradation of alpine wetlands

The alpine wetlands in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau have degraded recent decades. However, response of soil food web to degradation is still unclear. Four habitats including a wet meadow (WM), grassland (GM), moderately (MDM) and severely (SDM) (sandy meadows) were selected along degrees degradation. macrofaunal biomass environmental factors vegetation investigated. community increased significantly from WM MDM decreased very small amount SDM, with most taxa disappearing. trophic groups detritivores, herbivores predators exhibited similar responses communities. relative detritivores MDM, but responded an opposite manner, resulting dominant group structure varying progressively GM MDM. Soil properties not determined changes structure. results implied that higher levels (carnivores or omnivores) more sensitively than lower (herbivores) wetland Our also suggested macrofauna habitat-specific characteristic can be used as indicators health conditions.