Abundance Of Soil Macrofauna Research Articles

Soil macrofauna diversity and population dynamics in Indian Himalayan agroecosystems

Soil macrofauna diversity in Himalayan mountain agroecosystems has received negligible attention despite people’s dependence on soil fertility that determines crop yield for their sustenance. This study was carried out with the objective to determine differences in soil macrofauna taxonomic groups and abundance with soil depth (0–30 cm) in irrigated and non-irrigated wheat and rice crops of two dominant Himalayan mountain agroecosystems. At both the sites, a total of 11 macrofauna groups and 23 families were recorded. Macrofauna population across both crop seasons for non-irrigated fields was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than in irrigated fields. Macrofauna population significantly differed (P < 0.001) with soil depth and significantly declined with increasing soil depth (P < 0.001). The top soil (0–10 cm depth) contributed over 80% of the total macrofauna population. Macrofauna diversity in non-irrigated fields (H′ = 2.10) was greater than in irrigated fields (H′ = 1.86), but β diversity was greater in irrigated fields (1.67 vs 1.76). The two agroecosystem types significantly differed (P < 0.05) with soil depth and crop season. On the basis of presence or absence, the macrofauna groups were categorised as (i) present in soil year-round but exhibiting high density during warm and wet rainy season and (ii) present in soil only during the warm and wet rainy season. The non-irrigated fields had greater abundance of Coleoptera, Dermaptera, Hemiptera and Isoptera than the irrigated fields. This study highlights that the Himalayan mountain crop fields host a rather diverse and abundant macro-invertebrate community that should be efficiently used to promote soil fertility.

Soil macrofauna associated with cover crops in an Oxisol from the southwest of Piauí state, Brazil

ABSTRACT: The soil macrofauna is fundamental for the maintenance of soil quality. The aim of this study was to characterize the soil macrofauna under different species of cover crops, including monoculture or intercropping associated to two types of soil management in the southwest region of Piauí state. The study was carried out in an Oxisol (Latossolo Amarelo, according to Brazilian Soil Classification System) in the municipality of Bom Jesus, Piauí, distributed in 30 m2 plots. Testing and evaluation of the soil macrofauna were conducted in a 9 × 2 strip factorial design, with combinations between cover crops/consortia and soil management (with or without tillage), with four replications. Soil monoliths (0.25 × 0.25 m) were randomly sampled in each plot for macrofauna at 0‒0.1, 0.1‒0.2, and 0.2‒0.3 m depth, including surface litter. After identification and counting of soil organims, the relative density of each taxon in each depth was determined. The total abundance of soil macrofauna quantified under cover crops in the conventional and no-tillage system was 2,408 ind. m-2, distributed in 6 classes, 16 orders, and 31 families. The results of multivariate analysis show that grass species in sole cropping systems and no-tillage presents higher macrofauna density, in particular the taxonomic group Isoptera. No-tillage also provided higher richness of families, where Coleoptera adult were the second more abundant group in no-tillage and Hemiptera in conventional tillage.

Influence of organic and mineral fertilizers on edafic fauna in Luvisol cultivated with sesame

The aim of this study was to evaluate the abundance and diversity of soil macrofauna under the influence of organic fertilization with goat manure compared to NPK fertilization in a Luvisol with two sesame cultivars. The experiment was conducted in Alagoinha - PB, under field conditions at the Experimental Station of the State Enterprise for Agricultural Research of Paraiba SA (Empresa Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária da Paraíba S.A. - EMEPA), approximately 1.24 miles away from the city. The design utilized was in random blocks with the treatment groups: T1: goat manure as organic source in BRS 196 cultivar (CNPA G4), T2: goat manure as organic source in BRS Seda cultivar, T3: mineral fertilizer with NPK in BRS 196 cultivar (CNPA G4), T4: mineral fertilizer with NPK in BRS Seda cultivar, T5: No fertilization in BRS 196 cultivar (CNPA G4) and T6: No fertilization in BRS Seda cultivar, with these fertilizers based on soil analysis, totaling 24 experimental units. In assessing the ecological behavior of soil macrofauna, it was measured the total number of individuals (abundance) and wealth of faunistic groups and communities comparisons were made using the Shannon biodiversity indices (H and equitability of Pielou (e). The treatment groups with organic fertilization were more abundant and rich as well as the faunistic group Hymenoptera had the highest abundance and lower diversity and uniformity, independently of the treatment groups studied and the samplings collected. The treatment groups studied did not influence the diversity and uniformity of edafic macrofauna.

Influence of Seabird Colonies on Soil Macrofauna Communities at the Black Sea Coast Forests

A seabird (Phalacrocorax carbo) colony overwintering for three consecutive years in a pine forest near the Black Sea coast caused severe damage to the vegetation. The impact of excessive nutrients input from this colony increased soil acidity, N, P, Cu and S-content in soil and might therefore affect soil macrofauna. We compared the abundance of main functional trait guilds and the total abundance of soil macrofauna within impact and control pine forests. No significant difference between the sites was noted in taxonomic richness, total macrofauna abundance and abundance of mobile, belowground, phytophagous and predatory invertebrates. However, the abundance of poorly mobile, poorly mobile epibiontic, and these both traits of saprophagous macrofauna guilds was significantly higher in the control sites. We conclude that three-year wintering of a seabird colony in forest can lead to drastic changes in the macrofauna communities structure due to allochthonous input of nutrients.

Soil Macrofauna Responses to Sugarcane Straw Removal for Bioenergy Production

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) residue (straw) has been identified as a promising feedstock for bioenergy production, but excessive straw removal may impair soil macrofauna and related ecosystem services. To quantify straw removal effects on abundance, richness, and diversity of soil macrofauna, four experiments were conducted in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, under different edaphoclimatic conditions. A secondary goal was to evaluate seasonal changes on soil macrofauna and identify linkages between those changes and soil chemical and physical attributes. Four straw removal treatments (NR, no removal, LR, low removal, HR, high removal, and TR, total removal) were evaluated. Macrofauna and other soil attributes were sampled within the 0- to 0.30-m depth increment. Soil macrofauna were impaired by TR with the magnitude of response being related to both edaphoclimatic conditions and management practices. Numerous interactions among seasons, straw removal rates, and soil macrofauna were found, especially for total abundance and diversity of organisms. Partial straw removal (HR and LR) may be a strategy to protect soil health and increase bioenergy production with minimal effects on soil macrofauna, although long-term experiments are needed to confirm our hypothesis. The NR treatment generally had better soil quality as indicated by greater soil moisture, macropore number, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, and soil fertility, which led to a higher abundance of most macrofauna organisms. Total removal resulted in greater soil compaction and decreased macrofauna abundance, especially in clay soils. Our findings confirm that an integrated approach using soil indicators as guidelines should be adopted to better predict sustainable straw management practices for sugarcane in Brazil.

Response of the soil macrofauna abundance and community structure to drought stress under agroforestry system in southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

ABSTRACTSoil macrofauna is vital for soil functions and soil-mediated processes in all ecosystems. However, environmental perturbations, such as drought, that threaten both the abundance and function of soil macrofauna remain mostly unexplored, particularly in an agroforestry system. We investigated the effects of drought on soil macrofauna abundance and vertical distribution under three different planting systems including two intercropping systems, comprising Chinese prickly ash (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) intercropped with soybean (Glycine max) (Z-G) or bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) (Z-C), and one monoculture system, comprising only Z. bungeanum (Z). Soil samples were collected at depths of 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm, and soil macrofauna and chemical properties were analyzed. Soil dryness negatively affected soil macrofauna in all planting systems. Drought reduced the total macrofauna density, biomass, genera richness, and Pielou’s evenness. Additionally, drought significantly decreased density and biomass of Drawida and Eisenia but had no effect on Carabid beetles. Soil macrofauna density was highest in the Z-G intercropping system and higher at 0–10 cm than at other soil depths. These results indicate that intercropping soybean rather than bell pepper increases the abundance and biomass of soil macrofauna, and drought remarkably impacts the response of soil macrofauna to planting systems.

Replanting of first-cycle oil palm results in a second wave of biodiversity loss.

Conversion of forest to oil palm plantations results in a significant loss of biodiversity. Despite this, first‐cycle oil palm plantations can sustain relatively high biodiversity compared to other crops. However, the long‐term effects of oil palm agriculture on flora and fauna are unknown. Oil palm has a 25‐year commercial lifespan before it must be replanted, due to reduced productivity and difficulty of harvesting. Loss of the complex vegetation structure of oil palm plantations during the replanting process will likely have impacts on the ecosystem at a local and landscape scale. However, the effect of replanting on biodiversity is poorly understood.Here, we investigate the effects of replanting oil palm on soil macrofauna communities. We assessed ordinal richness, abundance, and community composition of soil macrofauna in first‐ (25‐ to 27‐year‐old) and second‐cycle oil palm (freshly cleared, 1‐year‐old, 3‐year‐old, and 7‐year‐old mature).Macrofauna abundance and richness drastically declined immediately after replanting. Macrofauna richness showed some recovery 7 years after replanting, but was still 19% lower than first‐cycle oil palm. Macrofauna abundance recovered to similar levels to that of first‐cycle oil palm plantations, 1 year after replanting. This was mainly due to high ant abundance, possibly due to the increased understory vegetation as herbicides are not used at this age. However, there were subsequent declines in macrofauna abundance 3 and 7 years after replanting, resulting in a 59% drop in macrofauna abundance compared to first‐cycle levels. Furthermore, soil macrofauna community composition in all ages of second‐cycle oil palm was different to first‐cycle plantations, with decomposers suffering particular declines.After considerable biodiversity loss due to forest conversion for oil palm, belowground invertebrate communities suffer a second wave of biodiversity loss due to replanting. This is likely to have serious implications for soil invertebrate diversity and agricultural sustainability in oil palm landscapes, due to the vital ecosystem functions that soil macrofauna provide.

The structure of soil macrofauna communities on islands of the Volga river

River islands are of great interest in terms of habitat fragmentation and varying abiotic factors. This study presents results of observation of varied in size and condition islands of Kuybyshev reservoir, located in the middle flow of the Volga river. We recorded 27 taxonomic groups which related to 3 types, 7 classes and 12 invertebrate orders. Soil macrofauna abundance on islands was comparable with the mainland biotopes. The main factor influencing soil macrofauna structure was soil type. Island size and height, anthropogenic impact and vegetation contributed into soil community’s structure variation too.

Soil macrofauna diversity and structure under different management of pine-coffee agroforestry system

The role of tropical forests for maintaining environmental functions is decreasing due to the rapid changes to agricultural purposes. Agroforestry system is assumed to be an alternative system which reduces the negative impact of the conversion in term of maintaining the level of soil macrofauna diversity. This study was conducted at UB Forest within the period November 2017 to February 2018 by collecting soil macrofauna from 9 different land use types using hand sorting along with pitfall sampling for comparison. ANOVA and various diversity indexes were used (Shannon index, Pielu index, etc) to determine macrofauna structure and communities. Total soil C was examined using Walkley and Black method along with Particulate Organic Matter (POM) C fractionation approaches. Litter inputs were collected using a litter trap method, whilst in-situ litter were determined using destructive methods. Biplot and CVA multivariate analyses were adopted to determine the impact of different management on soil macrofauna diversity and structure. The result showed that conversion to agriculture practices reduced the structure, population and abundance of soil macrofauna as litter production, organic matter and soil C content decreased. The lowest abundance of individual soil macrofauna at monoculture system (PM) was reduced to 45 morphospecies compared to pine coffee agroforestry at the age of 4 (PK4:20 years after planting) system as much as 104 morphospecies. There was a strong relationship between litter thickness and the abundance of soil macrofauna. Both methods (Hand sorting vs Pitfalls traps), had a different ability for collecting soil macrofauna communities. Species occurs at rich or low organic matter input can be adopted as soil macrofauna bioindicator of changes on an ecosystem. Biplot and CVA methods can be used to distinguish and to cluster the impact of different management at various agroforestry systems.

FUNGI AND MACROFAUNA COMMUNITY IN POST-FIRE PEATLAND IN CENTRAL KALIMANTAN

Peat soil with its unique physical and chemical character is host to various microbe and fauna. In the peat, the existence of microbe and macrofauna influenced by several environmental parameters. Therefore, in this study we would like to obtain the information about fungi and macrofauna in the post fire degraded peat swamp soil with emphasize on two points which are (i) abundance of soil fungi and soil macrofauna (ii) to describe the environmental parameters (e.g. understory and chemical properties) on the existence of fungi and macrofauna community. Soil dilution and pitfall trap were used to collect microbes and macrofauna in the targeted post-fire peat soil: Post-fire peatland /bareland (A), post-fire peat-land revegetated in December 2016 (B), post-fire peat-land revegetated in April 2016 (C), post-fire peat-land revegetated in December 2015 (D). Result showed that abundance of soil fungi obtained during this study is 4×10 5 to 11×10 5 cfu/ml. While the macrofauna abundance is 353-1038 ind/m 2. Fungi and macrofauna community in peatland affected by understory cover which related with revegetation activity. There is a trend of increasing the abundance of microbes and macrofauna on the land along with the increase of the percentage of understory cover.

Elevation and cropping system as drivers of microclimate and abundance of soil macrofauna in coffee farmlands in mountainous ecologies

Unravelling how earthworms and ants are deterministically structured by abiotic and biotic factors is of utmost relevance in fostering favourable environments for their increased abundance and action, more so in the increasingly degraded agricultural ecosystems of mountainous regions in sub-Saharan Africa. The Mount Elgon region (MER) of Uganda is characterised by mosaics of farmlands dominated by Arabica coffee with variability in inclusion of companion crops and shade trees, and in use of organic and inorganic fertilizers; and elevation. In this paper we explored abundance of soil macrofauna and microclimate patterns in different cropping systems at varying mountain elevations. The study covered 72 coffee fields delineated by 3 elevation categories: low, mid and high; and 4 cropping systems: Coffee monocrop (C), Coffee + annual crop (C + A), coffee + banana (C + B), and coffee + banana + shade trees (C + B + T). Results indicated that ant abundance at high elevation was thrice that of low and was same order of magnitude in unshaded than in banana- and tree-shaded systems. Earthworm abundance followed a different trend, decreasing with altitude except in C + B and C + A systems. Some of these relationships could be explained by ambient temperature, light intensity and soil electrical conductivity in the systems. Earthworms preferred less-illuminated shaded coffee systems at warmer low-mid elevations and soils with relatively high electrical conductivity whereas ants’ counts were depressed by such systems, and mostly driven by cooler higher elevations. These results show that agricultural practices at the field scale have notable impact on abundance of macrofauna that provide ecosystem services and need consideration when working towards sustainability.

Combined effects of cropping types and simulated extreme precipitation on the community composition and diversity of soil macrofauna in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Extreme precipitation as global change greatly affects above- and below-ground biodiversity. Soil macrofauna play a key role in the agroforestry ecosystem processes. Extreme precipitation might negatively impact soil macrofauna by changing soil water content. Particularly, whether cropping types are beneficial to alleviate response of soil macrofauna to extreme precipitation remains unexplored. Effects of simulated extreme precipitation of 1 month on soil macrofauna were studied under Chinese prickly ash (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) intercropped with soybean (Glycine max), Chinese prickly ash intercropped with sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum), and Chinese prickly ash monoculture. Soil macrofauna and soil samples were collected in three soil depths (0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm) per plot. The abundance, diversity, and vertical distribution of soil macrofauna were analyzed for each sample at genus and trophic level. Each sieved soil sample was analyzed for soil water content, soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3−–N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+–N) and organic matter. Descriptive statistics and significance tests on raw data were carried out using the SPSS 16.0 software at P < 0.05. A total of 502 soil macrofauna individuals were observed, and belonged to 14 genera, and consisted mainly of earthworms, arthropods. The richness, density, and biomass, as well as vertical distribution of total soil macrofauna were unaffected by extreme precipitation. Only Eisenia density and biomass were significantly decreased by extreme precipitation. The plots intercropped with soybean had higher density, biomass, and richness than the plots intercropped with sweet pepper and prickly ash monoculture. Cropping types significantly influenced density of total soil macrofauna under control condition but not extreme precipitation treatment. The abundance of total soil macrofauna was significantly and positively related to soil NH4+–N, total soil inorganic N, and soil organic matter. Our results suggest that the impacts of cropping types rather than extreme precipitation on soil macrofauna abundance, diversity, and vertical distribution are significant. However, extreme precipitation changes the response of soil macrofauna to cropping types.

Soil macrofauna assemblage composition and functional groups in no-tillage with corn stover mulch agroecosystems in a mollisol area of northeastern China

Macrofauna is an important component of soil ecosystems, and strongly affects agricultural sustainability. In order to evaluate the effects of no-tillage with corn stover mulch on soil macrofauna assemblages in the mollisol agroecosystems, the abundance, diversity, composition, and the functional groups of the soil macrofauna were investigated in Lishu Conservation Tillage Research and Development Station located in northeastern China. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replicates for each treatment, and included no-tillage with four different amount of corn stover mulch (0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 t/ha) and conventional tillage. Soil macrofauna samples were collected in April, July and October 2015. The results showed that the abundance and group richness of soil macrofauna were significantly higher in the no-tillage with corn stover mulch systems compared to conventional tillage. The composition of the fauna communities were different between treatments, especially between conventional tillage and no-tillage with 5 t/ha corn stover mulch, no-tillage with 7.5 t/ha corn stover mulch. The biological index V of the seven taxonomic groups showed that Oligochaeta, Coleoptera, Araneae and Hymenoptera were very highly suppressed by conventional tillage, while the magnitude of response of the other groups to tillage varied between the mulch treatments, as well as with the sampling time. The abundance of decomposers and predators was significantly enhanced by no-tillage with corn stover mulch (P < 0.05), but not significant for herbivores. The study results also showed that the amount of corn stover mulch had an influence on the abundance of soil macrofauna communities; however, a significant positive relationship between the amount of corn stover mulch and abundance of soil macrofauna was only observed in April. It is thus concluded that no-tillage with corn stover mulch seems to be beneficial to biological soil components where it favored the establishment of abundant and diverse soil macrofauna communities than conventional tillage in the mollisol area of northeastern China.

Caracterización ecológica de la macrofauna edáfica en dos sitios de bosque siempreverde en El Salón, Sierra del Rosario, Cuba

The richness, abundance, diversity and functional composition of soil macrofauna were studied in two sites of the evergreen medium forest (Helechal and Vallecito), located at the Ecological Reserve El Salon from Sierra del Rosario; they were analyzed with respect to other land use systems evaluated in Cuba. The macrofauna was collected in situ from 25 × 25 × 20 cm monoliths extracted from the soil. In this type of ecosystem, 34 families of the edaphic macrofauna belonging to 18 orders were found. The Vallecito site showed higher families richness, density and diversity of the macrofauna (34 families, 1,298.5 individuals m-2 and H’ = 2.72) compared to Helechal (19 families, 749.2 individuals m-2 and H’ = 2.57). Although, only richness showed significant differences between the two locations. The seasonality in the sampling marked the variations between the sites, which was carried out during a rainy month in Helechal (October 2009) and during a dry month in Vallecito (March 2011). The functional composition of the edaphic community was similar in both sites, where the most outstanding guilds were litter detritivores, soil engineers and predators. However, the dominant families within each functional group changed between sites. The structure found of the macrofauna was very similar to those of other tropical forests, and hardly changed in relation to secondary forests studied in Cuba, although it did change in relation to more disturbed systems such as pastures and crops.

Screening Cover Crops for Soil Macrofauna Abundance and Diversity in Conservation Agriculture

Soil health is important for sustainable crop production. Frequent soil cultivation has a negative impact on soil health, resulting in loss of soil macrofauna. Conservation agriculture can be practiced to improve soil health by improving the abundance of soil macrofauna. Three leguminous cover crops were tested for soil macrofauna abundance Vigna unguiculata, (cowpea) Lablab purpureus L. (dolichos lablab) and Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC (velvet bean). The experiment was done in two contrasting experimental sites of KwaZulu-Natal (Ukulinga and Bergville) in a randomised complete block design replicated three times. Bare plot and herbicide treatments served as controls. Natural fallow was used to make a comparison to all the other treatments. Cowpea (39 species) had the highest soil macrofauna abundance in Bergville. Lablab (57 species) had the highest soil macrofauna in Ukulinga. Cowpea (0.75 species) and lablab (0.61 species) improved soil macrofauna diversity respectively in Bergville. Natural fallow (0.46 species) had the lowest soil macrofauna diversity in Bergville. Lablab (0.56 species) and velvet bean (0.74 species) had high soil macrofauna species diversity in Ukulinga. Bare plot (0.3 species) had the lowest soil macrofauna species diversity respectively. It can be concluded that cowpea and lablab can be recommended for improving soil macrofauna abundance in conservation agriculture.

Long-term impact of no-till conservation agriculture on abundance and order diversity of soil macrofauna in continuous maize monocropping system

ABSTRACTUnsuitable soil management in agriculture is known to results in the deterioration of soil health and the decline of biodiversity. The experiment tested whether no-tillage with mulch (NT), could boost biological activity of soil macrofauna population in continuous maize monocropping system compared with rotational tillage with mulch (RT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soil macrofauna was sampled at the end of the 2014/2015 growing season using 25 × 25 × 25 cm steel monoliths. The mean density of individual orders was higher (p < 0.001) under NT (46%) and RT (38%) compared with CT (16%). However, the Shannon-Weaver index revealed that the diversity and evenness of orders were similar for all treatments. Macrofauna patterns revealed that NT and RT contained higher (p < 0.001) population of Isoptera and Diplopoda. Isoptera was 51% and 17% higher in NT than CT and RT, while in Diplopoda, NT was 39% and 2% higher than CT and RT, respectively. It was concluded that NT and RT systems favoured the development of macrofauna communities in the studied maize continuous monoculture cropping system but did not favour order diversity of macrofauna. This suggests the importance of crop rotation for the development of the more diverse macrofaunal population.

Spatial variation of soil macrofauna and nutrients in tropical agricultural systems influenced by historical charcoal production in South Nandi, Kenya

The charcoal sector constitutes an important source of employment and revenue for many tropical agroecosystems. Better understanding of the effects of charcoal-making is thus warranted to guide actions aimed at minimising environmental externalities. Conversion of trees to charcoal eliminates canopy effects associated with the living trees while at the same time creates new conditions in and around spots where the charcoal is produced due to increased concentration of pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM). It is unclear, whether such unintentional PyOM additions play a role in the abundance and distribution patterns of soil macrofauna. A study was conducted in South Nandi (Kenya) to assess effects of PyOM on soil macrofauna, taking advantage of abandoned traditional earth-mound charcoal kilns, where Croton megalocarpus Hutch. and Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman trees were used in charcoal making. Soil and soil macrofauna samples were collected at increasing distances from the centre of the spots. Total C, non-pyrogenic C (non-PyC) and total N progressively increased with increasing distance from the centre of the spots, whereas soil pH, pyrogenic C (PyC), available P and exchangeable K decreased. The number of earthworms and centipedes in Z. gilletii spots (119 and 14 individuals m−2, respectively) was twice as high as in kilns where C. megalocarpus was used. Notably, while the number of earthworms in spots rich in Z. gilletii PyOM significantly increased with increasing distance from the centre of the spots, the opposite trend was observed for centipedes. In contrast, no significant differences in the spatial distribution of earthworms or centipedes were found in spots rich in C. megalocarpus PyOM. Furthermore, beetles, termites and crickets were significantly higher in C. megalocarpus than Z. gilletii spots, but sampling distance also had no significant influence. As hypothesised, source of PyOM played a major role in determining soil properties and macrofauna distribution patterns thus showing the value of abandoned charcoal-making spots in contributing to a mosaic of soil conditions that could ultimately affect soil productivity in tropical agricultural systems.

Impacts of some upland rice-based cropping systems on soil macrofauna abundance and diversity and black beetle damage to rice

Black beetles (BB: Heteronychus spp.: Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) are serious constraints to upland rice production in the Madagascar central highlands. From 2002 to 2007 we compared the effects of two soil management and two fertilization modalities in an upland rice-based cropping system on soil macrofauna abundance, diversity and BB damage to rice crops and yield. This cropping system involved a 2-year rotation of upland rice the first year, followed by common bean the second year, with oat as a relay crop under both conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage soil management (NT), each under both organic (OF) and mineral fertilization (MF). All four modalities (CT-OF; CT-MF; NT-OF and NT-MF) were managed under two plant protection levels (seed dressing with imidacloprid + thiram vs no seed dressing). Herbivorous/detritivorous beetles were the most abundant soil biota, respectively representing more than two-thirds and half of all macrofauna at the outset of the experiment and 4 years later, with the BB Heteronychus arator rugifrons (Fairmaire) being the dominant pest species (herbivore). The Shannon diversity index was reduced significantly between the beginning and the end of the experiment 4 years later, while it was only marginally affected by soil management, fertilization and seed dressing regimes at both sampling dates. Throughout the study period, seed dressing resulted in a significant reduction in BB damage, and in a significantly higher rice grain yield as compared to control. NT management did not enable seed dressing discontinuation based on grain yield and BB damage level after 3 and 4 years of this practice, respectively. In this respect, CT-MF management ranked best in the absence of seed dressing. The reasons for the poor performance of NT management in the studied cropping system as compared to the same strategy used in other systems reported in earlier studies are discussed.

KEANEKARAGAMAN MAKROFAUNA TANAH PADA BERBAGAI TIPE TEGAKAN DI AREAL BEKAS TAMBANG SILIKA DI HOLCIM EDUCATIONAL FOREST, SUKABUMI, JAWA BARAT Soil Macrofauna Diversity on Various Types of Stands in Silicas’ Post-Mining Land in Holcim Educational Forest...

Soil Macrofauna has a very important role in maintaining soil fertility through the decomposition of organic matter, nutrient distribution, increasing soil aeration and so on. The existence of soil macrofauna are very important in helping the process of rehabilitation of post-mining land because they contribute to the improvement of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. The purposes of this study are to identify and quantify the diversity of soil macrofauna in various types of stands and land without stand in Holcim Educational Forest. The highest abundance of soil macrofauna was found in mixed stand with 240 individuals in nine plots of observation, each plot was 40 cm x 40 cm. Layers of soil (0-10 cm) has an abundance of soil macrofauna higher than in the litter layer, because soil layer can provide protection from direct sunlight and enough food for soil macrofauna. Mixed stand has the highest soil macrofauna diversity (H '= 2.52, DMG = 6.93, J' = 0.63), as it has a more diverse vegetation and highest canopy density. Environmental conditions such as soil temperature, canopy density, and soil organic matter can influence the composition and abundance of soil macrofauna, so that the soil macrofauna can be used as an indicator in monitoring environmental quality. Soil macrofauna that dominates in all the stands and land without stand, were red ants (Formicidae 7), termites (Rhinotermitidae 1), earthworms (Megascolecidae 1), and larvae of Coleoptera (Scarabaeidae 1).Key words: abundance, diversity, environment, soil macrofauna

Soil macrofauna abundance under dominant tree species increases along a soil degradation gradient

Soil macrofauna contribute to key soil functions underpinning soil-mediated ecosystem services. There is limited understanding about the role of trees as ‘resource islands’ for soil macrofauna in agricultural landscapes and how this interaction is affected by soil degradation status. The study assessed the spatial influence of three dominant trees namely, Croton megalocarpus, Eucalyptus grandis and Zanthoxylum gilletii, on soil macrofauna abundance, along a soil degradation gradient resulting from continuous cultivation for 10, 16 and 62 years. It was hypothesised that spatial variation in soil macrofauna abundance is affected by duration of cultivation, tree species and distance from the tree trunk. Soils cultivated for 10 years showed highest soil nutrient levels. Notably, soil C and N were higher below the canopy of C. megalocarpus (64.6 g kg−1 C; 6.7 g kg−1 N), than E. grandis (58.7 g kg−1 C; 5.9 g kg−1 N) and Z. gilletii (54.5 g kg−1 C; 5.6 g kg−1 N) after 10 years of cultivation. Similar trends were also found after 16 and 62 years of cultivation, although the mean values for the two elements were below 40.0 g kg−1 and 4.0 g kg−1, respectively. Higher soil macrofauna abundance was found after 16 and 62 years of cultivation, though this was dependent on tree species and soil macrofauna group. Earthworm abundance was highest below the canopy of Z. gilletii averaging 389 individuals and 160 individuals m−2, respectively, compared to 14 individuals m−2 after 10 years of cultivation. Conversely, beetles showed higher numbers under E. grandis and C. megalocarpus than under Z. gilletii. Highest numbers of termites and centipedes were found under E. grandis after 16 years of cultivation. These findings support the importance of a diverse tree cover in agricultural landscapes to conserve soil macrofauna communities and the contribution of their activity to soil ecological functions.