Faunal activities and soil processes : adaptive strategies that determine ecosystem function

I . Summary ................................................. 93 II . Introduction ............................................... 94 III . The role of invertebrates in the soil system ....................... 96 N . Adaptive strategies of soil organisms: the sleeping beauty and the ecosystem engineers ........................................ 97 V . Microfauna: microbial regulation in micro-foodwebs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 A . The composition of micro-foodwebs ........................ 101 B., Distribution and dispersal of microsites ..................... 103 C . Evidence for the functional importance of micro-foodwebs: effects on SOM dynamics ................... 104 Saprophagous arthropoda: the litter transformers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 A . Niche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 B . Structures ............................................ 105 C . Effects on physical parameters of soil ...................... 106 D . SOM dynamics ....................................... 106 E . Effects on plant growth in microcosms ..................... 108 Termites and earthworms: the ecosystem engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 A . Roles ............................................... 108 B . Effects on physical structure ............................. 109 C . Effects on SOM dynamics ............................... 115 D . Effects on plant growth ................................. 118 Vm . Conclusions .............................................. 120 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 VI .