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During last two decades, deforested areas have been increasing in Caspian region in north of Iran due to human destruction. Litter decomposition, nutrient cycling and shortening of ecosystem recovery could be a suitable approach in addition to afforestation with ameliorating species for rehabilitation of disturbed Caspian forests. This study was conducted to determine the abundance of millipedes within 14 years old afforestation stands of maple, oak, alder and cypress in comparison with a nearby disturbed stand of ironwood-hornbeam in Darabkola (Mazandaran, Iran), with particular attention to nutritional elements composition of litter. A total of 50 samples of litter layer were taken for abundance and biomass of millipedes. Such chemical properties of litter and soil as dry weight, organic matter, crude protein, crude lipid, crude fiber, ash content and pH were analyzed. Simultaneously, equal samples were chosen from topsoil layer (0-10cm) to measure moisture content and bulk density.
Mean biomass of millipedes was over 100 mg/m2 and mean dry weight of litter was less than 1000 g/m2 in afforestation stands of maple and oak. In contrast to the above mentioned afforestations, these parameters were under 50 mg/m2 and over 1000 g/m2 in other study area. Number and biomass of millipedes had significant correlations with dry weight (r -0.88), crude lipid (r = 0.80), crude fiber (r= 0.53) and bulk density (r = 0.60). However, crude fiber had by far the highest correlation with the first axis of the PCA (r = -0.69). Abundance of millipedes and litter accumulation was significantly influenced by the tree species planted in afforestations through nutritional composition of litter.