Short description of research activities in CRC 990:

1.
Structure, Stability and Functioning of Macro Invertebrate Communities in Rainforest Transformation System in Sumatra.

Soils are essential sources of a wide diversity of ecosystem services. Soil invertebrates are enormously diverse. They play significant, but largely ignored roles, in the delivery of ecosystem services by soils that they mediate: soil formation, nutrient cycling, and primary production. The study was investigate the diversity and community structure of earthworms and soil insects in primary forest, jungle rubber, rubber plantations, and oil-palm plantations. Transformation of tropical rainforest into secondary forest and agriculture system may influence their biodiversity and community structure. From this study it is difficult to suggest that the transformation of the ecosystems in Jambi has changed the communities.

This research will be conducted in Jambi in various types of ecosystem (natural forest, secondary forest, rubber plantation, oil palm plantation, and mixed rubber plantation in Bungku Village, Batanghari Regency, Jambi). The objectives of this research were studying the role of soil animals in nutrient cycle of several types of ecosystems. Observations and measurement will be conducted on soil animals and their diversity in litters and soil uppermost surface layers. Decomposition rate of litter will also be measured by using litter bags.
There will be also observation and measurement of soil properties in horizon A and horizon B of soils in the place where the soil animals are observed and measured. Afterwards, correlation analysis will be conducted between soil animal condition, decomposition and soil properties. Such correlation would provide some ideas concerning the role of soil animals on the nutrient cycle of the ecosystem.