Among a number of organisms that constitute soil macrofauna communities, distributed in different types of habitats, with varied foraging habits and life cycles, some are capable of a rapid response to environmental changes. These organisms are considered efficient indicators of the well-functioning of ecosystems. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the following succession stages of a seasonal semidecidous submontane forest of the Atlantic Forest domain: Secondary Forest Initial Stage - SFIS, Medium Stage - SFMS, Advanced Stage - SFAS and a Mixed and Managed Pasture - MMP on the density, diversity and composition of the edaphic macrofauna community, in two seasons, in the Pinheiral county (Rio de Janeito state, southeastern Brazil). The macrofauna assessment was carried out by collecting eight samples of litter and superficial soil layer (0-10 cm) using the method recommended by "Tropical Soil Biology Fertility Programme" (TSBF), with modifications. The predominant taxonomic groups were Isoptera, Formicidae and Oligochaeta in SFIS, SFMS and SFAE and Formicidae and Oligochaeta in MMP. No significant difference of edaphic macrofauna density between the areas was observed. The highest diversity estimator values: Pielou's evenness index, total and average richness were observed in SFAE. The total richness values increase gradually from MMP towards SFAE. A higher number of individuals colonized soil in relation to the litter microhabitat in all forest areas, in the two sampling seasons. The principal component analysis (PCA) performed separately for the dry and wet season indicated greater differences of the macrofauna communities between succession stages in the wet season. In this season, the stages SFMS and SFAE were associated to a higher saprophagous and predator diversity than in MMP and SFIS. These results demonstrate the influence of the succession stage on the soil macrofauna community.
bioindicators; Atlantic Forest; vegetation succession; soil quality
