Direct and indirect effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on soil biota, decomposition and nutrient fluxes in dune grassland soil systems

Enhanced UV radiation did not show any effect on the decomposition of a mixed litter of the dune grassland plant species Calamagrostis epigeios and Carex arenaria. Also, leaching of nutrients from lysimeters filled with dune grassland soils was not affected by enhanced UV radiation. Negative UV effects on the fungal biomass in the first part of the: experiment were later reversed into positive ones. Clear effects of both UV-A and UV-B were found on Collembola, both on total number of individuals and on the number of species. The decreased number of species under UV radiation could have been due to a decrease in UV-sensitive species. The role of pigmentation is discussed.