Abstract
This study was to assess the effect of fallowed and cultivated land-use systems on the abundance of soil macroinvertebrates assemblage. Collections of soil samples were carried out fortnightly twice a month for four months. The extraction of soil macroinvertebrates was carried out using Berlese-Tullgren funnel extractor, and elutriation technique. The mean values of 6.93+/-0.25 were recorded for pH, 32.08+/-0.52oC for temperature, 15.60+/-1.22 for moisture content, were recorded for fallowed soil, and 4.43+/-0.16 (pH), 30.95+/-0.19oC (temperature) were recorded for cultivated soil. A total of 17 soil macroinvertebrates species comprising of 11 orders, from four classes were encountered. Out of the 517 individual soil macroinvertebrates encountered, 327 individuals representing four classes were present in the fallow land while 190 individuals representing three classes were present in the cultivated land. The most dominant species in terms of abundance in the fallowed land site included; Cryptotermes sp 67(20.49%) > Blatta sp 56(17.12%) with Hogna sp 1(0.0.30%) the least; while Cryptotermes sp. 79(41.58%) >Lasius sp 30(15.79%) > Lumbricus terrestris 21(11.05%) represents the dominant species in the cultivated soil with Paraponera sp 1(0.53%) the least. Soil temperature showed positive correlation with the abundance of Clitellata (r = 0.851; p < 0.05) and Insecta (r = 0.826; p < 0.05) and Soil pH showed positive correlation with the abundance of Diplopoda (r = 0.911; p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, it could be deduced from the study that human activities in the cultivated site perturb soil macroinvertebrates community structure which is reflected in the relative abundance of soil macroinvertebrate from the two sampling sites. The results obtained in this study could be a piece of pointing information for the conservation and management of the soil macroinvertebrates giving their functions in balancing agroecosystems.
Highlights
The soil represents one of the most important reservoirs of biodiversity
The health of the soil ecosystem is relative to its productivity and sustainability which depends on the changing state of its physico-chemical and biological properties (Somasundaram et al, 2013; Elias et al, 2019; Bufebo and Elias, 2020)
The people living in this community are predominantly farmers specializing in the cultivation of cassava (Manihot esculenta), yam (Oxalis tuberosa), water yam (Dioscorea alata), pumpkin leaves (Telfaira occidentalis), plantain (Musa paradisiaca), and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus); while some are into craft making and few are civil servants
Summary
The soil represents one of the most important reservoirs of biodiversity. It is a dynamic, complex, and highly heterogeneous ecosystem that allows the development of a large fragmented number of ecological habitats. The health of the soil ecosystem is relative to its productivity and sustainability which depends on the changing state of its physico-chemical and biological properties (Somasundaram et al, 2013; Elias et al, 2019; Bufebo and Elias, 2020). Whereas, cultivated land, with the absence of soil surface litter and tree shadings, exposes these soil macroinvertebrates to an unfavourable conditions such as changes in soil temperature and pH, loss of moisture, and predation. This degraded soil condition could lead to a reduction in the soil macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance (Rossi et al, 2010). There is scanty information on the effect of fallowed and cultivated land-use systems on the composition and abundance of soil macroinvertebrates assemblage in this part of Akwa Ibom state, this study to investigate the effect of fallowed and cultivated land-use systems on the composition and abundance of soil macroinvertebrate assemblage in the community
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