Variation of Group Diversity in Soil Microarthropod Community at Different Altitudes in the Darjeeling Himalayas, West Bengal, India

Soil samples were collected from eight sites with an approximate altitudinal gap of 500 m in the Darjeeling Himalaya in West Bengal. Microarthropods collected from soil were divided into four major groups, viz., oribatid mites, other mites, collembola and other microarthropods. Monthly and yearly group diversity of four groups of soil microarthropods were calculated using Shannon's diversity index. Monthly group diversity was found to be negatively correlated with the abundance in most places. Correlation was also traced between some edaphic factors and group diversity. Temperature, moisture and pH were found to have some prominent impact on group diversity in some sites. Organic carbon showed no significant correlation probably because of its presence in sufficient quantity in soil. Both monthly and yearly group diversity were highest in the Tiger Hill.