<p>Land-use changes caused by urbanization profoundly impact biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The impact of land-use changes on soil invertebrate communities has garnered attention, but few studies focused on how the intensity of land-use change associated with urbanization affects soil invertebrates. In this study, we investigated variations in Collembola taxonomic and isotopic diversity in four land-use types (natural forests, urban forests, urban parks and green median strips) in a subtropical city, representing a gradient of increasing land-use intensity. Collembola richness and biomass did not follow the studied land-use intensity gradient, rather, they were high in urban parks but low in urban forests. Similarly, isotopic diversity, as an indicator of niche diversity of Collembola communities, did not correlate with land-use intensity, with isotopic richness peaking in natural forests and urban parks, while isotopic uniqueness being highest in urban forests. Litter properties explained major variations in both taxonomic and isotopic diversity of Collembola, with their impacts largely outweighing those of land-use intensity and soil properties. Particularly, litter complexity, as indicated by litter species richness and the amount of decomposed litter, was the major factor promoting Collembola richness, biomass and isotopic diversity, while litter nutrients and moisture content played a subordinate role. Overall, our study demonstrates that well-managed urban greenspaces can act as restoration hubs for soil invertebrate communities. To foster soil animal communities and associated ecological functions in city systems, management approaches promoting litter complexity by increasing native plant diversity and litter accumulation should be adopted.</p>