Differences in Diversity of Collembola Communities Between Primary and Secondary Forests and Driving Factors

Primary forests harbor extraordinary biodiversity, but conversion from primary forests to secondary forests often leads to biodiversity loss and diminished ecosystem functioning. While much of the existing research has focused on plants and vertebrates, soil fauna-particularly Collembola-remain underexplored in this context. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of the Collembola diversity and community composition in primary and secondary forests across two regions in northeastern China. Among 5587 Collembola individuals, 69 morphospecies were identified. The Collembola abundance and Shannon-Wiener index were significantly higher in primary forests, although the species richness did not differ significantly between the forest types. In contrast, the community composition differed markedly, with several taxa found exclusively in primary forests. Notably, environmental factors exerted stronger influences on Collembola communities in primary forests, suggesting that these ecosystems may be more vulnerable to climate change and external disturbances. These findings demonstrate that primary forests play a crucial role in protecting soil fauna diversity and emphasize that future conservation efforts should focus on the strict protection of primary forests.