Biodiversidade do solo em vinhas com e sem enrelvamento

Abstract

This work was part of the project “EcoVitis: Maximizacao dos Servicos do Ecossistema Vinha na Regiao Demarcada do Douro” was aimed at evaluating the influence of natural and seeded cover crops and tillage between rows on the diversity of soil arthropods. The experiment took place at Quinta do Casal da Granja, property of the Real Companhia Velha. A floristic survey was performed to assess plant diversity, in each of the three modalities and soil arthropod diversity was measured using pitfall traps, between May and August of 2014. It was possible to identify 38 plant taxa belonging to 16 families, of which 29 in the natural cover crop, 27 in the seeded cover crop and 25 in the soil with tillage between rows. A total of 15235 arthropods were captured, that fit into 11 orders and one class. Natural cover crop presented a more balanced distribution between plant species, which is probably the reason for a higher diversity on arthropods. Coleoptera, especially species that are predators, was positively associated to natural cover crop, which is important for biological control in vineyards at the Douro region.