Abundance Of Soil Macrofauna Research Articles

Conservation agriculture compared to conventional tillage improves the trade-off between ground-dwelling arthropod trophic groups for natural pest regulation in cotton cropping systems

Conservation agriculture is an innovative approach based on minimal soil disturbance, soil cover with crop residues, and crop rotation, which increases the biodiversity of soil macrofauna thus contributing to nutrient cycling and soil aggregation. In addition, macrofaunal abundance may play a role at regulating insect pest populations. The study aims to predict the effects of soil management practices (conventional tillage and conservation agriculture) on the abundance of soil macrofauna and herbivore predation in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) based cropping systems. We conducted a field experiment with a randomized complete block comprising two treatments, Conventional Tillage (CT) and Conservation Agriculture (CA), and six replications in a cotton-maize rotation system from 2020 to 2023. Soil monoliths and pitfall traps were installed in both treatments to collect ground-dwelling arthropods, to analyse the influence of soil management practices on their abundance, their trophic groups, and the rate of pest predation by generalist predators. Pest predation rates were assessed using artificial caterpillars made from plasticine. The results showed significant positive effects of soil management practices on herbivory rate, herbivore abundance, predator abundance, omnivore-predator abundance and pest predation rate. The average herbivory rate was 9.8 % in the conservation agriculture plots and 11.6 % in the conventional tillage plots. Overall, the predation rate was 58.9 % in the conservation agriculture plots and 21.8 % in the conventional tillage plots. The abundance of predators and of omnivore-predators were significantly higher in conservation agriculture than in conventional tillage. These findings suggest that conservation agriculture practices improve soil macrofauna and pest regulation, with potential benefits on soil quality and sustainability in cotton cropping systems.

Soil–Plant–Pollinator Relationships in Urban Grass and Meadow Habitats: Competing Benefits and Demands of Tall Flowering Plants on Soil and Pollinator Diversity

Urban green spaces can be important habitats for soil, plant, and pollinator diversity and the complementary ecosystem functions they confer. Most studies tend to investigate the relationships between plant diversity with either soil or pollinator diversity, but establishing their relationship across habitat types could be important for optimising ecosystem service provision via alternative management (for instance, urban meadows in place of short amenity grass). Here, we investigate soil–plant–pollinator relationships across urban grass and meadow habitats through a range of measured biodiversity (soil mesofauna and macrofauna, plants, aboveground invertebrates, and pollinators) and edaphic variables. We found significant effects of habitat type on available nutrients (plant and soil C:N ratios) but less clear relationships were observed between habitat type and diversity metrics. Soil–plant–pollinator interactions across habitat types and sites showed an interconnection, whereby flowering plant abundance increased alongside soil macrofauna abundance. Site characteristics that showed strong effects on plant and invertebrate diversity metrics were C:N ratios (plant and soil) and soil pH, suggesting a potential role of nutrient availability on soil–plant–pollinator associations. Our results suggest that a combination of short-mown grass, tall grass, and sown flowers can provide greater benefits for soil and pollination services as each habitat type benefits different taxa due to differing sensitivities to management practices. For example, pollinators benefit from sown flowers but soil fauna are sensitive to annual sowing. Our results also indicate that sown flowers may not optimise overall biodiversity as expected due to disturbance and the depleting role of tall, flowering plants on soil nutrient availability. Future research across a greater range of sites in urban landscapes would resolve the potential role of nutrient availability in modulating soil–plant–pollinator interactions in urban green spaces.

Diversity and Abundance of Soil Macrofauna in Wheat Fields with Low and High Input of Fertilizers

Diversity and Abundance of Soil Macrofauna in Wheat Fields with Low and High Input of Fertilizers

Influences of conservation tillage on soil macrofaunal biodiversity and trophic structure in the Mollisol region of Northeast China

Tillage regimes directly impact soil disturbance and crop residue levels in the field, subsequently affecting soil macrofauna abundance and diversity, crucial for maintaining soil health and ecosystem functionality. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different tillage regimes (no-tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT) and reduced-tillage (RT)) on soil properties and macrofaunal communities in a typical black soil region of Northeast China. Our study revealed that, in comparison to CT and RT, NT significantly enhanced soil macrofauna biodiversity and brought about modification in the community composition. Additionally, it reduced changes in the soil physical–chemical properties. Furthermore, the choice of tillage regimes impacted the trophic structure of soil macrofauna, manifesting in great density and species richness of herbivores and predators in NT plots with crop residue retention when compared to those managed with tillage. Overall, soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH played pivotal roles in regulating the soil macrofaunal community. The alternations observed in the soil macrofaunal community represented a comprehensive response to tillage practices and residue return, which in turn influenced soil properties and microenvironments, including food resources and microhabitats. Therefore, our findings indicated that conservation tillage exerted a notable influence on the soil macrofaunal community. This underscores the significance of soil environments and properties in molding the structure and composition of the soil macrofaunal community. The study will enhance comprehension of soil management practices and advocate for diversity within soil macrofaunal communities.

Soil Macrofauna Abundance in the Intercropping of Mangifera Indica with Aromatic Plants

Soil macrofauna such as earthworms, beetles, ants, and centipedes are an important aspect of soil health as they help in the breakdown of plant residue to provide natural resources such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous into the soil. Monocropping practice uses heavy machinery, pesticides, and herbicides to maintain farm productivity, which negatively impacts soil macrofauna abundance. Thus, intercropping is a sustainable practice for farmers to maintain soil health with the minimal use of external input, which can do more harm to the soil ecosystem over a long period of time. The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of intercropping mango with pandan and lemongrass on soil macrofauna density compared to mango monocrop. The field experiment consisted of mango, mango-pandan intercrops, and mango-lemongrass intercrops. Soil macrofauna was assessed using the tropical soil biology and fertility (TSBF) monolith method. The result showed that intercropping of mango-lemongrass and mango-pandan had higher soil macrofauna density compared with mango monocrop due to the presence of intercrops providing more natural resources and a better soil environment for soil macrofauna to grow and reproduce. However, further long-term research is needed to reinforce these findings.

The diversity and abundance of soil macrofauna under different agroforestry practices in the drylands of southern Ethiopia

The diversity and abundance of soil macrofauna under different agroforestry practices in the drylands of southern Ethiopia

Patterns of seasonal population dynamics of soil macrofauna in meadow phytocenoses in the volga-kama reserve

The aim of our study was to reveal patterns of soil macrofauna abundance variation during vegetation season. The studies were carried out in Russia, Volga-Kama reserve. The latter is divided into two part – Raifa (55.900330, 48.723119) and Saraly (55.308186, 49.239262). We sampled macrofauna their in 4 biotopes. Additionally buffer zone was investigated: 2 biotopes under anthropogenic impact. In each biotope, the spring and autumn abundance was estimated for three years. In the Saralinskii section of the reserve, in most cases, it differed insignificantly. In the Raifa section earthworms abundance declined toward autumn slightly. In buffer zone, there was a tendency to decrease in abundance by autumn, which, apparently, is associated with anthropogenic influence.

Land-use intensification reduces soil macrofauna biomass at the community but not individual level

Land-use intensification and climate change are main threats to the abundance and diversity of soil macrofauna. However, little is known about their biomass in response to these concurrent drivers. Here, we investigated the biomass responses of soil macrofauna along a land-use intensity gradient of five land-use regimes (i.e., from extensively-used grassland to conventional cropland) under two climate scenarios (ambient vs. future). We found that land-use intensification (but not climate change) significantly reduced soil macrofauna biomass at the community rather than individual level. Further, the community structure of soil macrofauna based on total biomass data varied with land-use type (i.e., grasslands vs. croplands). Collectively, our findings suggest that land-use intensification can negatively shift the community biomass patterns of soil macrofauna consistently under both ambient and future climates in agroecosystems.

Fast improvement of macrofauna communities and soil quality in plantain crops converted to agroecological practices

Plantain (Musa paradisiaca AAB) is one of the main staple food crops in tropical areas, particularly in the Caribbean region. Therefore, supporting a sustainable production of plantain in this zone is crucial to secure food and to provide income to millions of people. We hypothesized that agroecological practices based on multi-functionality and biodiversity and that preserve soil should i) increase macrofauna abundance, ii) enhance soil chemical fertility, iii) improve soil physical structure, iv) reduce plant infestation by parasitic nematodes, and v) immediately achieve similar yield as in conventional systems. For this purpose, we compared plantain conventional and agroecological systems at the farm scale. The agroecological system consisted in a combination of three innovations: i) inputs of vermicompost to replace mineral fertilizers, ii) use of healthy planting material and iii) use of a mulching of living crop to control weeds. Ten months after the plantation, soil macrofauna abundance had doubled and taxonomic richness had increased by 45% in the agroecological system. In addition, soil structure was improved in the agroecological system (52% of biogenic aggregates in the agroecological system vs. 21 % in conventional systems), as well as the abundance of free-living nematodes associated to plantain roots increased by 73 % in the agroecological system. The abundance of Radopholus similis, one of main plant parasitic nematodes, decreased in the agroecological system. Moreover, the agroecological system achieved similar crop yield level than conventional systems. Agroecological practices are thus an efficient option to allow a fast transition from conventional to environmentally friendly cropping systems.

Land use effects on soil macrofauna communities in a mountainous region of southwest Guizhou, China

An experiment to compare the effects of land use types on soil and macrofauna characteristics was conducted in a mountainous region of southwestern China. Soil physical and chemical properties and soil macrofauna were investigated in four land use types: natural grassland, mixed pasture of Dactylis glomerata L. and Trifolium repens L., mixed pasture of Holcus lanatus L. and Trifolium repens L., and cropland planted with annual Brassica napus L. and Zea mays L. rotation. The results showed that natural grassland, mixed pasture and cropping increased soil pH (23.0%–36.0%), soil organic matter (69.1%–73.9%, except the cropland with a decrease of 18.9%), total nitrogen (346.2%–738.5%), available nitrogen (389.9%–482.7%), available phosphorus (61.9%–303.6%) and available potassium (326.2%–481.4%). The taxonomic richness of macrofaunal communities was lower in the mixed pasture and cropped land than in natural grassland, with the Shannon’s index and Menhinick index being negatively related to soil organic carbon content. The mixed pasture maintained the abundance and diversity of soil macrofauna. The short-term cessation of utilization and management facilitated the restoration of soil macrofaunal communities. This study shows that pasture/grazing or leaving fallow for a year after cropping were able to better sustain macrofaunal communities in this mountainous region.

Soil Macrofauna Abundance and Taxonomic Richness under Long-Term No-Till Conservation Agriculture in a Semi-Arid Environment of South Africa

Soil macrofauna are a critical component for ecosystem function and strongly affect production sustainability. The effect of fertiliser management practices, in different cropping systems, on soil macrofauna communities remains poorly understood in semi-arid to arid regions. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of tillage practices i.e., no-till (NT), rotational tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT) and nitrogen fertiliser application rates (0, 100 and 200 kg/ha N) (urea) on abundance and order diversity of soil macrofauna in a maize continuous monocropping system. The sampling of macrofauna in the trial was conducted in April 2019, August 2019 and March 2020 using 25 cm × 25 cm × 25 cm steel monoliths in randomly selected positions, and this was replicated four times. The study found a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the abundance of soil macrofauna in NT (127 ind/m2) and RT (110 ind/m2) compared to CT (51 ind/m2) treatment. The abundance of macrofauna was also negatively affected by increasing the rate of fertiliser, with 0, 100 and 200 kg/ha resulting in 133, 94 and 62 ind/m2. Orders Haplotaxida and Diplopoda were found to be sensitive to increases in the fertiliser application rate. Haplotaxida (48.4%) was the most abundant order, followed by Coleoptera (18.2%). Other orders included Diplopoda (9.2%), Gastropoda (6.3%), Isoptera (4.7%), Chilopoda (4.7%), Araneae (4%), Hymenoptera (3.2%), Orthoptera (0.9%) and Dermaptera (0.3%). No-till (NT) and rotational tillage (RT) with mulch favoured the establishment of various macrofauna communities in the studied cropping system.

Influence of scattered trees in grazing areas on soil properties in the Piedmont region of the Colombian Amazon.

Trees dispersed in grazing areas are contribute to the sustainability of livestock systems. The interactions between trees and soil are ecological processes that allow the modification of the biology, fertility, and physics of the soil. This study was aimed to assess the influence of dispersed trees in pastures on soil properties in grazing areas for dual-purpose cattle systems in the Piedmont region of the Colombian Amazon. The work was done in grazing areas with scattered trees at the Centro de Investigaciones Amazónicas CIMAZ–Macagual in Florencia—Caquetá—Colombia. We evaluated the effect of five tree species, Andira inermis, Bellucia pentámera, Guarea Guidonia, Psidium guajava and Zygia longifolia, on soil properties (up to 30 cm soil depth) under and outside the influence of the crown. Under the tree crown, three points were systematically taken in different cardinal positions. This was done at a distance corresponding to half the radius of the tree crown. The sampling points in the open pasture area (out of crown) were made in the same way, but at 15 m from the crown border. The ANOVA showed significant interaction (P < 0.0001) between tree species and location for macrofauna abundance up to 30 cm soil depth. For this reason, we performed the comparison between locations for each tree species. Chemical soil variables up to 10 cm soil depth only showed interaction of tree species-location for exchangeable potassium (P = 0.0004). Soil physical soil characteristics up to 30 cm soil depth only showed interaction of tree species-location at 20 cm soil depth (P = 0.0003). The principal component analysis for soil properties explained 61.1% of the total variability of the data with the two first axes. Using Monte Carlo test, we found crown effect for all species. Trees help to control exchangeable mineral elements that can affect the soil, potentiate basic cations such as magnesium and potassium, increase the abundance of soil macrofauna; but some trees with high ground level of shade in grazing areas could increase soil compaction due to the greater concentration of cattle in these areas.

Soil macrofauna abundance, biomass and selected soil properties in the home garden and coffee-based agroforestry systems at Wondo Genet, Ethiopia

Agroforestry practices (AFPs) are typical solutions for low-input agricultural systems. AFPs play critical roles in the improvement of the abundance and biomass of soil invertebrates, which are necessary for long-term improvement of soil properties. The overall objective of the present study was to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics in macrofauna abundance and biomass in home gardens and coffee-based agroforestry systems and relate it with the dynamics in a range of soil physico-chemical parameters. The two AF systems differed in plant species richness and diversity of life forms. For both sampling seasons, higher number of macrofauna was collected from home garden AF than in the Coffee-based AF plot. Total macrofaunal biomass between the wet and dry seasons was significantly different (p < 0.05) for samples from home garden AF plot. Depth-wise patterns in macrofauna abundance and biomass showed distinct seasonal variation in the two-agroforestry systems. For both AF plots, marked and significant (p < 0.001) seasonal differences were observed in relation to soil moisture, temperature, and pH. On the other hand, dry season samples from the home garden AF plot had significantly (p < 0.001) higher moisture content and soil pH than the coffee-based AF plot. Home garden AF system provides a better belowground environment for enhanced soil macrofauna proliferation and activity reflected in higher biomass & abundance than Coffee-based AF. Accordingly, farmers are encouraged to maintain their farm production and productivity with agroforestry. F0B7 Home garden agroforestry system has diverse plant species composition than coffee based agroforestry system. F0B7 Home garden is better in terms of soil macrofauna abundance and biomass. F0B7 Soil macrofauna biomass and abundance showed seasonal dynamics.

Increasing plant diversity promotes ecosystem functions in rainfed rice based short rotations in Malagasy highlands

Plant diversification is one of the main ways to ecologically intensify agroecosystems to improve their sustainability and resilience. Rotations and/or a mixture of crops can mitigate pest and weed infestation, reduce diseases, and improve soil fertility and crop productivity. However, rainfed rice yields in the Malagasy highlands remain low despite the frequent use of cropping systems including crop rotations and mixtures. In this study, we compared three rainfed rice based short rotations with rainfed rice monocropping to quantify the benefits of plant diversification on different ecosystem functions such as weed and nematode control, soil fertility, soil macrofauna abundance and diversity, and rice yield over four cropping seasons. The three rotations were based on rice in rotation with one legume, groundnut (RG), a cereal-legume mixture, sorghum and cowpea (RSC), or a mixture of legumes, velvet bean and crotalaria (RVC). Rice growth, N content and yield, soil N content, weed biomass, nematofauna and macrofauna were assessed and a profitability analysis was performed at rotation scale. The legume mixture had a significant and positive effect on rice growth, N content and yield, soil N content, and weed and nematode control due to high biomass production in the cropping cycle including legume mixture, by limiting weed growth and leaving a large quantity of N-rich residues to enrich the soil for the following rice crop. The nematicide properties of the legume mixture may reduce the infestation of plant-feeding nematodes. The RG and RSC rotations produced intermediate results. While rice yields were higher in these rotations than when rainfed rice was grown alone, weed biomass remained high due to minimal competition with weeds during the crop rotation cycle especially with groundnut. For RSC, nematode control was limited as both sorghum and cowpea are host plants for nematodes. Despite a year with no crop income with the RVC rotation, profitability was higher mainly due to the increased rice yield and reduced field management costs. The choice of species is thus crucial to optimise ecosystem functions adapted to farmers’ context and objectives.

English

Cocoa farmers&rsquo; excessive use of agrochemicals in cocoa agroforests has major repercussions on soil organisms, which play a great role in soil fertility enhancement. This study was carried out to examine the relationship between agrochemical use and soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance in cocoa agroforests in Cameroon. A mixed research approach was used, and data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. It was found that the main types of agrochemicals used by cocoa farmers in cocoa-based agroforestry systems were fungicides (100%), insecticides (100%), and herbicides (36.7%). The categorization of the major types of agrochemicals used by cocoa farmers revealed that, two types of herbicides, eight types of fungicides, and nine types of insecticides were used by cocoa farmers in cocoa-based agroforestry systems. Most cocoa farmers perceived that all the agrochemicals lead to a decrease in soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance in cocoa-based agroforestry systems. Chi-square test statistic results (X2 &gt; 78, p&lt;0.05) showed that cocoa farmers&rsquo; perceptions of the effects of agrochemicals on the diversity and abundance of soil macro-fauna in cocoa-based agroforestry systems differed significantly across the main types of agrochemicals (herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides). Correlation and regression analyses showed the existence of a statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) inverse non-causal and causal relationship respectively between most agrochemicals and soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance in cocoa-based agroforestry systems, implying that the use of these agrochemicals leads to a reduction in soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance in cocoa agroforests. Thus, it is recommended that measures be taken to reduce the use of agrochemicals in cocoa agroforests in order to safeguard the diversity and abundance of soil macro-fauna in these systems. Key words: Agrochemicals, soil fauna diversity, soil fauna, soil, agroforestry, cocoa, farmers, Cameroon

English

Soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance greatly influence soil fertility. However, little has been done to confirm this hypothesis in cocoa-based agroforestry systems. It was in this light that this research work was undertaken in order to fill the knowledge gap. Through the use of a mixed research method for data collection and appropriate data analysis procedures, findings showed that diverse soil macro-fauna were identified by cocoa farmers in cocoa-based agroforestry systems with the main being earth worms (100%), ants (100%), termites (70%), millipedes (50%), centipedes (50%), and snails (60%). Most cocoa farmers perceived that soil macro-fauna diversity in cocoa-based agroforestry systems was high (58.3%) and very high (17%) respectively. Earth worms, ants, millipedes, centipedes, spiders, harvestmen and scorpions were perceived by most cocoa farmers (44%, 38.3%, 43.3%, 41.3%, 55.6%, 53.3% and 48% respectively) to have a high level of abundance in cocoa-based agroforestry systems. A statistically significant direct non-causal and causal relationship (p&lt;0.05) existed between soil macro-fauna diversity and soil fertility enhancement in cocoa-based agroforestry systems, implying that the higher the diversity, the higher the level of soil fertility and the lower the diversity, the lower the level of soil fertility enhancement. Concerning soil macro-fauna abundance, a statistically significant direct non-causal and causal relationship (p&lt;0.05) existed between soil macro-fauna abundance (i.e. for earth worms, ants, termites, beetles, crickets, woodlice, snails and slugs) and soil fertility enhancement in cocoa-based agroforestry systems, implying that the greater the abundance of these soil macro-fauna, the greater the fertility of the soil. It is recommended that measures be taken to ensure soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance in order to enhance the fertility of the soil in cocoa-based agroforestry systems. Key words: Cocoa, cocoa farmers, agroforestry, cocoa-based agroforestry systems, soil macro-fauna, macro-fauna, soil fertility, Cameroon.

Abundance and diversity of soil invertebrate macro-fauna in different land uses at Shenkolla watershed, South Central Ethiopia

BackgroundLand use can exert a strong influence on the abundance, diversity, and community composition of soil macro-fauna. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of four land use types on the abundance and diversity of soil invertebrate macro-fauna communities. These land uses include forest land, grazing land, crop cultivated outfields, and homestead garden fields present at Shenkolla watershed, south central Ethiopia. Monolith sampling of soil macro-fauna was done according to the standard of Tropical Soils Biology and Fertility Institute (TSBF) procedure. Five sampling points were chosen in each land use type and small monolith (25 × 25 × 30 cm) was dug out at 5-m interval along a transect with randomly positioned starting point, but perpendiculars to the slope. A total of 20 monoliths (4 treatments × 5 replications) were taken across all the land use types. Sampling of SIMF was carried out in April 2019 where soil macro-faunas are known to be more active. To evaluate the SIMF community eight parameters were measured: Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson diversity index, Pielou’s measure of evenness, Margalef’s diversity index, the Number of Occurrence Index, Relative abundance, Density (individuals per square meter) of each taxon and density of all SIMF and Bray-Curtis similarity index. The data were further analyzed using ANOVA and a general linear model to determine the variation and the influence of land use type, respectively.ResultsIn general, 332 individuals, 10 orders, 12 families, and 15 species were identified, from the collected samples. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) among the four land use types for SIMF except wireworm, spiders, and millipedes. Overall abundance and diversity were lowest in the crop cultivated outfields and highest in homestead garden fields and forest land. Bray-Curtis’ similarity was highest between the sampled sites s16 and s19 with in the forest land, and lowest (2%) between sites s1 (crop cultivated out fields) and s14 (homestead garden fields).ConclusionThe results revealed that the diversity of SIMF was positively influenced by forest land and homestead garden fields and negatively influenced in grazing land and cultivated outfields. Therefore, maintenance of a continuous litter cover at the surface and application of a wide range of organic fertilizers (farmyard manure, household refuse, and compost) is very much critical to prevent the decrease in diversity of SIMF.

Pasture diversification affects soil macrofauna and soil biophysical properties in tropical (silvo)pastoral systems

The diversification of tropical pastures with legumes (trees) for increased forage and animal productivity has been advocated. Nevertheless, effects on soil quality and belowground biodiversity, and the implications for sustainable intensification remain poorly documented, particularly when cattle grazing is included in the study. We evaluated the impact of forage system diversification with herbaceous and woody legumes on soil properties and soil macrofauna communities and their spatial heterogeneity in a three-year-old field trial in Cauca Valley, Colombia. Three forage-based systems were compared: (i) a conventional monoculture-species grass pasture system of Brachiaria hybrid cv. Cayman (CP); (ii) a mixed pasture system consisting of Brachiaria grass with the leguminous herb Canavalia brasiliensis (LP); and (iii) a silvopastoral system with rows of the legume tree Leucaena diversifolia planted within LP pastures (SPS). The experiment was arranged in a complete randomized block design with three replicates and grazing cattle rotating across blocks. Plots were grazed by three (treatments CP and LP) or four bulls (SPS) aiming to reflect the expected cattle intensification in SPS systems. Physico-chemical soil properties and macrofauna abundance and their spatial heterogeneity as affected by the distance from the tree rows in SPS, were assessed. Herbaceous legumes positively affected the abundance and diversity of soil macrofauna and soil physical properties in LP and the alleys between tree rows in SPS, as compared to CP. In the SPS, the highest soil quality and macrofauna abundance occurred at the edge of the tree lines, while the highest soil compaction and the lowest abundance of soil macrofauna occurred in the tree rows, probably due to the behavioral change of the grazing cattle in combination with the higher stocking rate in SPS. Soil properties in LP and in the alleys between the tree rows of SPS were comparable despite higher stocking rate in SPS. Overall, the SPS and LP systems, proved to be suitable alternatives to CP allowing for sustainable intensification of pastures although careful evaluation of possible trade-offs associated with increased spatial heterogeneity in SPS is recommended to avoid localized soil compaction. Soil macrofauna, particularly functional groups (classified by feeding habits) proved to be a sensitive soil quality indicator in response to contrasting pasture systems.

Diversity and abundance of soil macrofauna in three land use systems in eastern Amazonia

ABSTRACT Given the influence of edaphic macrofauna in the physical, chemical, and biological processes that sustain the organic matter cycle in the soil of tropical ecosystems, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of the sequence: Secondary Forest – Pasture – Eucalyptus monoculture on the macrofauna structure in Southeast of Para State, Brazil. In each land use system, two 350 m transect were taken. The data was collected in 8 sampling sites, which were 50 m apart in each transect [...]

Comparing the effects of soil fauna on litter decomposition and organic matter turnover in sustainably and conventionally managed olive orchards

Soils and crops in Mediterranean agrosystems are vulnerable to climate change and environmental stresses, and they will be more and more in the next future. In this scenario, soil organic matter (SOM) plays a crucial role and its level is principally determined by the continuous physical and chemical action of soil fauna. While the importance of microorganisms in fruit agrosystems has been extensively and recently highlighted, the role of soil fauna - and particularly of macrofauna - to ecosystem services has been often overlooked. On this basis, the aim of this study was to characterize and compare C/N dynamics and other soil physicochemical parameters, soil macrofauna abundance, bioturbation and litter/SOM decomposition indices in a Mediterranean olive (Olea europaea L.) orchard subjected to two different soil management systems (namely sustainable, Smng, and conventional, Cmng) for 18 years. The adoption of the Smng system significantly increased almost three times the abundance of earthworms and two times that of other soil macrofauna. Bioturbation due to soil fauna and roots was significantly higher in the Smng system, and this caused a significantly faster SOM decomposition measured both in 90-day incubated local litter bags (decomposition constant = 0.092 and 0.072 in the Smng and Cmng system, respectively) and in tea bags (decomposition rate constant = 0.018 and 0.010 in the Smng and Cmng system, respectively). Soil C and N dynamics were also affected by different soil management. The results highlighted that the soil chemical quality of the Smng system is the result of the higher abundance and activity of soil fauna, in terms of enhanced litter decomposition and bioturbation. From the general analysis of the data obtained, it emerged that the role of soil fauna should be seriously taken into account in land management strategies not exclusively oriented to fruit yield and quality, but also to soil fertility restoration.