Abstract: Approximately 80% of terrestrial ecosystems have been subject to varying degrees of disturbance. Forests, as a vital part of terrestrial ecosystems, are suffering severe degradation, which is one of the seven major environmental challenges during the 21st century. Current studies on the impacts of disturbances on forest ecosystems predominantly focus on aboveground plant and animal communities. Studies on belowground ecosystems are mostly restricted to roots and soil microbial communities, with less attention to soil faunal communities. Soil fauna plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem function and stability. Disturbances can directly lead to the death of some soil fauna or indirectly alter their community structure and diversity by modifying soil physicochemical properties, microclimate conditions, and resource availability in forests. We systematically reviewed the effects of both natural disturbances (such as fire and wind damage) and anthropogenic disturbances (such as logging and tourism) on soil faunal communities in forests. Future studies should explore the interactions and inherent connections between different types of forest disturbances and reveal the underlying mechanisms and should investigate the dual response mechanisms of soil fauna under diverse disturbance scenarios. These endeavors will advance the restoration and sustainable development of forest ecosystems.

Key words: forest disturbance, soil animal, community structure, functional trait