Side effects of some crop protection products on non-target soil invertebrates

Abstract

Summary Soil living invertebrates play crucial roles in the terrestrial ecosystem. Plant protection products are known to affect soil organisms and might have negative impacts on soil functions influenced by these organisms. The main goal of this study was to estimate the prompt effects of various pesticides applied against soil pests, weeds and diseases agents on some soil populations. Four plant protection products were applied to soil in a trial at the Plant Protection Department of Ankara University demonstration field and the variation of population in samples was then observed. The samples were collected at different periods and soil depths. The soil samples taken were washed through sieves and the invertebrates were isolated, counted and classified. The results obtained from this study indicated that the most sensitivite invertebrate groups to pesticides were collembolans (Insecta: Collembola). Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), earthworms (Clitellata: Haplotaxida) and soil mites (Arachnida: Acarina) were also monitored. According to the results obtained from this work, the changes of distributed products, sampling period, soil depth and applied plant protection products statistically were detected.