Microenvironment Effects on Decomposition and Mesofauna of Eucalypt Leaf Litter: A Case Study of High-Altitude Tropical Climate, Brazil

The effects of microenvironmental conditions on decomposition and its interaction with the mesofauna community remain poorly understood. Therefore, our study aimed to answer the following questions: Does the microenvironment influence the decomposition of Eucalyptus leaf litter and the mesofauna community associated with this process? To do so, we evaluated the litter when exposed to an Eucalyptus plantation (EP) environment and a native forest (NF) environment. Senescent leaves were collected at the base of tree crowns in both the EP and NF environments. After collection, 10 g portions of the dried leaves were placed in litter bags, which were then distributed over the litter in both environments. This defined three treatments: Eucalyptus leaves in the plantation environment, Eucalyptus leaves in NF condition, and NF leaves in their original environment. The litterbag collections took place at 30, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 330 days after installation. Thus, the remaining mass percentages, decomposition rates, and half-life of the leaf litter were estimated from the dry mass results. The edaphic mesofauna community associated with the decomposition process was evaluated at 30, 90, and 120 days using the Berlese–Tullgren funnel method. The microenvironmental conditions of the native forest promoted a higher decomposition rate of Eucalyptus litter, in addition to greater abundance and richness of mesofauna organisms in relation to the Eucalyptus leaf material in the plantation environment.