Contributions of Cryptozoa to Forest Nutrient Cycles

Connecting the Green and Brown Worlds

“…To our knowledge, almost no previous studies have investigated intraspecific variability in soil invertebrate body shapes, aside one morphometric investigation of a single nematode species in relation to humus type and season by Arpin et al (1988). In contrast to the litter mesofauna, where in the case of phosphorus, the detrital P production by larger invertebrates can require 20 times as much [P] as entered in the food web in form of litter (McBrayer, 1977), our soil microfauna shows no dramatic shifts in interactions. To understand this variability in a broader context, Mulder and nutrients (molar ratios).…”

Decomposition Rates and Nutrient Contents of Arthropod Remains in Forest Litter

“…Previous studies did not estimate standing crops of phosphorus. Assuming that phosphorus averaged = 1% dry mass of living biomass (McBrayer 1977), then phosphorus content of arthropod remains was =50% of that found in living biomass on WS 17 and 160% of that found on WS 18. Values of living and dead arthropod mass and elemental amounts were also compared with average standing crops of leaf litter (the L horizon) reported by Gist (1972) andComaby (1973).…”

A biogeographical study of currently identified Oregon pseudoscorpions with an emphasis on western Oregon forms

“…Pseudoscorpions function as tertiary predators (Cloudsley-Thompson 1958) in cryptozoan environments and, as such, are significant in the enormously complex, dynamic activities involved in soil fertility processes (Edwards et al 1970;Cromack et ale 1977;McBrayer 1977;Webb 1977). As noted at the 1967 Paris Symposium on Nethods of Study in Soil Ecology (Phillipson 1970), it is practically impossible to understand interactions of species unless individuals can be identified.…”