Relationship between Soil Macrofauna Tamarisk and Euphrates Poplar in Riparian Forest of Maroon River, Khuzestan Province

In this study, the abundance and biomass of soil macrofauna were investigated in natural forests of tamarisk and Euphrates poplar in riparian forests of Maroon River in Khuzestan province. Soil macrofauna were collected using 175 sampling plots 50 meter distance from each other on 21 parallel lines with 100 meters distance from each other and perpendicular to the river. Soil macrofauna sampling were taken using hand-sorting procedure in the 50 × 50 cm plots from of 0-10 cm depth. Number of trees, percent of total crown cover, percent of Euphrates poplar and Tamarisk crown cover, height of tree crown cover, total height, Diameter at breast height and Crown diameter of nearest Euphrates poplar and Tamarisk to macrofauna plot, distance of nearest Euphrates poplar to macrofauna plot, distance of nearest tree to macrofauna plot and distance of plot to the tree with the highest diameter in the plot. Results showed that earthworm abundance and biomass have significant correlation with number, percent of crown cover, crown height, total height, diameter and crown diameter of nearest Euphrates poplar tree. Arthropod abundance had significant correlation with number, percent of crown cover, crown height, total height, diameter and crown diameter of nearest tamarisk tree. Therefore it could be concluded that tamarisk and Euphrates poplar were respectively correlated with arthropod and earthworm. The CCA predicted 11.9 percent of total changes of macrofauna. As the three factors of number, crown cover and diameter of nearest Euphrates poplar had the most significant influence on the soil macrofauna distribution in this area, it could be approved that Euphrates poplar have more influence on soil macrofauna distribution.