The Effect of Wildfire on the Species Diversity of Soil Macro fauna (Case Study: Sardasht Forests, West Azerbaijan)

Among ecological communities, insects are important bio-indicators of wildfire disturbance due to their sensitivity to environmental changes and habitat requirements. In this research, we studied the relationship between the temporal effect of wildfire and macro-fauna abundance and biodiversity in an oak forest located in Sardasht, West Azerbaijan. We compared three sites differing in fire history as well as three control sites. Fifteen samples (0.5× 0.5× 0.3 m) were selected for each above-mentioned treatment along transects in both burned and control plots. Totally, 210 insect specimens belonging to 18 orders and 27 families were collected. We applied analysis of variance and Duncan test for the analysis of normal continuous data and chi-square test for the analysis of discrete data or abundance. Results indicated that the occurrence of fire reduced the richness of macro-fauna in the burned areas compared to the control areas, but the temporal effect of fire on the macro-fauna resulted in increasing of the richness of the macro-fauna in years after fire occurrence. Both Coleoptera and Diplura were also present in all study area and wildfire had no effect on Diplura. But the temporal effect of fire on Coleoptera was evident and the abundance of this order was added by passing the time of the fire. Diptera and Ants (Hymenoptera) also, over time, had been returned to the burned areas and their frequency has been increased. So the return of insects to their habitat needs over a period of time about 1 to 2 years by improving the microclimatic environment and the regrowth of plants.