Soil macrofauna order diversity and abundance under improved fallows and organic matter transfer system in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Sustainable crop production is dependent on improvement of soil health using different management strategies. A study was conducted in the 2008/09 cropping season to investigate soil macrofauna order diversity and abundance under organic matter transfer system and improved fallows in a high rainfall (>800 mm year−1) area of Zimbabwe. Macrofauna were sampled using monoliths to a depth of 25 cm and Shannon-Wiener diversity was used for diversity testing. Order diversity varied significantly with treatment under both systems. Under improved fallows, Leucaena trichandra had the highest fauna orders (6) followed by Calliandra colorthysus (5), then Acacia anguistissima (4) while Leucaena pallida and miombo forest had the least orders. Crotalaria juncea had the highest faunal orders (5), among organic material transfer system while other treatments had ≥3 orders. Unfertilized maize had one order. Calliandra colorthysus had the highest order diversity followed by maize stover > cattle manure > Cr. juncea > fully fertilized maize > unfertilized maize. Major groups identified were termites, earthworms, beetles, millipedes and ants. All taxa combined, cattle manure and miombo forest had the highest macrofauna abundance. This study showed that application of organic nutrient resources and use of improved fallows significantly influenced soil macrofauna order diversity and abundance.