Litter and soil arthropod assemblages in environmentally critical areas network in Palawan Island, Philippines

Environmental Critical Ares Network (ECAN), a grader system of protection and development control, is the strategy adopted through Republic Act 7611 for the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan and divided +the province into Core Zone (CZ), Buffer Zone (subdivided into Restricted Use Area [RUA]. Controlled Use Area [CUA], Traditional Use Area [TUA], and Multiple Use Zone (MUZ). The assemblage patterns of litter and soil arthropods were investigated to determine their conformity with ECAN zoning and driving factors (vegetation, litter attributes and soil properties). The vegetation variables were significantly different among the sites with Cz, RUA and TUA having more complex vegetation structure than other sites. Litter quantity in CZ and RUA was higher than other sites but the quality did not show a distinct pattern. Only soil temperatures and moisture content with the ECAN zoning and the low soil nutrients among the sites had no discernable pattern. The overall abundance and species richness assemblage of litter and soil anthropods significantly different among the sites. However, they did not conform with the ECAN zoning but appeared to be affected by human disturbance, with occurs even if prohibited. The ECAN sites maintain distinct species composition and structure of litter and soil anthropods and conformed with the zoning. Influence of vegetation, litter quantity and quality,and soil properties on the abundance and diversity of litter and soil anthropods to be a toxon-specific and driven by vegetation, which, in turn, was affected by human disturbance. Human disturbance appeared to be the main driver of litter and soil assemblage pattern in ECAN zones. Strict implementation of the law through close monitoring of human activities in each ECAN zone is recommended to avoid fuanal collapse.