An inventory of invertebrates associated with different types of mulches in central Ohio revealed that significantly more organisms occurred in mulched plots than in bare soil plots. Mulch often harbored more than twice as many organisms as bare soil. The cardinal side of the structure and whether the sample was proximal (<20cm) or distal (>20cm) appeared to have little effect on the numbers of invertebrates. Millipedes were the most plentiful macroarthropod, occurring in almost half (48.9%) of the plots. Other regularly encountered invertebrates included isopods, beetles, nematodes, centipedes, and earthworms. Termites, psocids, spiders, ants, symphylans, diplurans, and earwigs were occasionally encountered. Some organisms were more prevalent in a particular type of mulch, and organic mulches tended to hold more moisture and harbored more invertebrates than organic mulches. Hardwood mulch harbored more macroinvertebrates than softwood mulch, which in turn harbored more than bare soil. Many of the more prevalent macroinvertebrates (millipedes, centipedes, etc.) were found in significantly higher numbers at a mulch depth of 10 to 15 cm. Most of the invertebrates were more prevalent in a soil temperature range of 10-23° and interface and surface temperature ranges of 5-30°.
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