The influence of climatic and site factors on myriapod populations and assemblages in the Neisse-Valley (Eastern Germany) over a 40 year-year period

The myriapod fauna of a spruce forest and two neighbouring deciduous woods in the Neisse valley near Goerlitz (Eastern Germany) was first investigated in 1961/62. At this time the sites were in a healthy state despite high ash deposition by industry. After spruce destruction by increasing pollution, but without acidification, a second investigation was made in 1988/89. Most of the diplopod and chilopod populations had increased in (activity-) density during the first period. None of the reaction of the 32 species studied can be interpreted as directly influenced by action of chemical pollutants from the power stations. For this reason it should be checked in a further study (2011) if these trends also remain up to now and which factors are responsible for this process. Measurements of temperature (annual average temperatur) and of soil parameters (e.g. pH, C/N) exist for the investigation period 1961/62 and are currently charged resp. Additional climate data can be obtained from weather stations nearby.