| Themes > Science > Earth Sciences > Geology > Soils > About Soils, Generalities > The Soil Makers > Pedators and Secondary Decomposers |
Protozoa, feed on bacteria and fungi 10 million per m2 or Amoeba a million per gram of soil Ciliates ten thousands per gram of soil or 3 grams per m2 in grassland soils 20 grams per m2 in woodland soils Nematodes (round worms), feed on bacteria, fungi, protozoa and plant roots 10 million per m2 in grassland soils 30 million per m2 in woodland soils or 1 gram per m2 Enchytraeids (pot worms) feed on dead plant material 300 000 m2 in moorland soil 200 000 m2 in grassland or 50 and 35 grams m2 respectively Tardigrades (water bears) 50 to 500 m2 Pauropoda 20 to 2000 m2 Molluscs (Slugs and Snails) feed on rotting vegetation mostly (there are a couple of carnivorous species which feed on other molluscs) approx. 15 m2 in grassland soils approx. 450 m2 in woodland soils Symphyla , feed on fungi, up to 1000 m2 in grassland soils up to 3000 m2 in woodland soils Isopoda (Woodlice) feed on fungi, and dead plant material 500 to 1500 m2 in grassland soils up to 3000 m2 in woodland soils Diplopoda (Millipedes) feed on fungi, and dead plant material approx. 20 m2 in grazed grassland approx. 100 m2 in ungrazed grassland 100+ m2 in woodlands Chilopoda (Centipedes) feed on insects an other soil arthropods approx. 120 m2 in grassland 150+ in woodlands Aranaea (Spiders) feed on other arthropods 480 m2 in Moorlands 200 m2 in Pasteur Acari (Mites) feed on everything are very responsive to pH, more at pH 5 than at pH 6, and more in 'Mor' soils than in 'Mul' soils. 100 000 to 600 000 per m2 woodland soils 2 gams per m2 Collembola (Springtails) feed on fungi and bacteria, dependant on soil moisture and pore space. 40 000 to 70 000 m2 in grassland soils up to 500 000 m2 in coniferous woodland. Coleoptera (Beetles) up to 2000 to 3000 per m2 in ungrazed grasslands and heathlands, levels are considerably lower in arable soils. Hymenoptera, Ants, live in the soil, feed on other arthropods and plants secretions, nectar etc. important soil movers, the mound building species (wood ants) create large compost piles which often remain after the ants have gone. |
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