Responses of Soil Fauna Diversity to Management in the European Important Floodplain Habitats of the Danube

Soil fauna represent an important component of terrestrial ecosystems and serve as sensitive bioindicators of environmental changes and the intensity of anthropogenic disturbances. Our research was conducted between 2020 and 2023 across 15 habitats differing in management intensity. Soil fauna were sampled using pitfall traps. A total of 88,112 individuals belonging to 18 taxa were recorded. Community variability was assessed using redundancy analysis (RDA), which revealed a clear differentiation between managed and unmanaged habitats. The results indicated that more soil fauna preferred more stable and less disturbed environments, whereas managed sites exhibited greater heterogeneity of soil fauna communities. Statistical analyses confirmed significant differences in individual abundance among study areas (1–15), years (2020–2023), and seasons (Friedman test, p = 0.016; Kruskal–Wallis test, p < 0.001), highlighting the substantial influence of habitat characteristics and seasonal dynamics on the structure of soil fauna. The predictive models suggested the persistence of natural population fluctuations without a pronounced long-term decline in abundance. The findings provide valuable information for optimizing habitat management, evaluating the effectiveness of restoration measures, and supporting biodiversity conservation in ecosystems of European importance.