Variations of collembolan communities in drained and diked salt marsh and adjacent farmland in coastal Southeastern China

Drained and diked salt marshes (DDSM) habitats, a typical form of coastal
wetland, are undergoing ecological recovery, offering valuable insights
into strategies for restoring and protecting biodiversity in reclaimed
coastal wetlands. Richness, abundance, and composition of the collembolan
community is expected to vary in response to changes in plant and soil in
DDSM habitats and agricultural farmlands. However, knowledge on these
variations remains limited. Therefore, we aimed to reveal the
species richness, abundance, and composition of the collembolan community
and the effect exerted by plant and soil variables in DDSM and
agricultural farmlands. Soil samples were collected
in coastal DDSM (northern enclosure and
southern enclosure) and wheat farmland areas in Ningbo City, southeastern
China, in April 2023. Species richness, rather than abundance, of the
collembolan community, was significantly lower in DDSM habitats than in
wheat farmlands. The collembolan community composition differed
significantly between these two habitats. Ceratophysella
skarzynskii Weiner (1996), Desoria sp12, Isotoma
pinnata Fabricius (1781), and Sinella sp. were
exclusively in DDSM habitats. Instead, the genera Arrhopalites,
Heteraphorura, and Parisotoma preferred wheat farmlands. Plant
coverage and height were important variables affecting collembolan
community composition in DDSM habitats. DDSM habitats can sustain specific
collembolan species, and their soil biodiversity warrants attention,
particularly following rigorous reclamation measures. This study provides
important information for restoring and protecting biodiversity in
reclaimed coastal wetlands.