Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2024 number 1

This paper presents results of field studies into the soil biota in conditionally undisturbed territories located in the northern part of Cisbaikalia (central ecological zone). This territory is characterized by high landscape diversity, which is due to the peculiarities of the relief and, associated with this, local climatic conditions. Thus in a relatively small area of the territory there are various geosystems from meadow-marsh to mountain-steppe. Soil zoocenoses are accordingly also diverse, and the structure of the population, the average number and biomass make it possible to evaluate communities by taxonomic diversity. This indicator characterizes not only the state of the soil mezopopulation, but also its resistance to external influences. In conditions of limited economic activity, this territory can be a kind of testing ground for comparative analysis and assessment of the restoration potential of soil zoocenoses. Taxonomic diversity was calculated using Margalef’s index, which makes it possible to link two characteristics, the abundance and the number of taxa per unit area. Based on the calculations obtained, five categories of taxonomic diversity of soil invertebrates (from very low to high) were distinguished. Taking into consideration the high landscape diversity of the territory, the spatial distribution of soil mezopopulation reflects the full range of zoocenoses in the region. The numerical characteristics of the mezopopulation of soils are influenced by the hydroclimatic conditions of the territory which, in turn, depend on the terrain. Results from investigating the soil mezofauna aimed at assessing the taxonomic diversity in the spatial aspect are intended to be used as a basis for cartographic modeling in the future.