Soil Arthropods Research Articles

Late Miocene paleoecology and paleoclimate in the central High Plains of North America reconstructed from paleopedological, ichnological, and stable isotope analyses of the Ogallala Formation in western Kansas, USA

The late Miocene was a critical time in the development of the North American Great Plains marked by paleoclimate-driven biotic change, including faunal turnovers and the spread of C4 dominated grasslands. The large volume of sediment shed from the Rocky Mountain region during this time preserves a record of these transitions, which can be informed by previously undescribed paleosol and trace fossil properties from the Ogallala Formation of the central High Plains. The purpose of this paper is to reconstruct paleoenvironments, paleoclimate, and paleoecology from outcrops of the Ogallala Formation in western Kansas by integrating paleopedology, ichnology, and stable isotope geochemistry. Eleven lithofacies are recognized in the study area, mostly massive to crudely stratified, fine-to coarse-grained sandstone and pebbly gravel with stratigraphically uncommon fine-grained lithofacies restricted to thinly bedded intervals or lens-shaped geometries within the sand-dominated strata. These host five pedotypes: 1) calcic Vertisols developed on overbank fines, 2) Entisols developed on braid bar gravels, 3) Entisols developed on volcaniclastic sediment lenses, 4) calcic Inceptisols developed on coarse sandy channel fills, and 5) calcareous Mollisols developed on fine sandy bedforms and channel fills. We recognize ten ichnogenera within paleosols, including burrows attributed to ants, bees, beetles or hemipterans, vinegarroon-like arthropods, fossorial reptiles, seed caching mammals, and large carnivorous mammals. Organic carbon stable isotopes indicate that the flora consisted entirely of C3 plants, and paleosols and trace-fossil evidence suggest a tree-limited savanna environment with patches of unvegetated soil. Paleoclimate proxies from paleosol and trace fossil properties indicate mean annual air temperatures between 8 °C and 20 °C with seasonal differences of up to 14 °C between mean monthly temperatures of the warmest and coolest months. Mean annual precipitation was likely between 250 mm and 460 mm with a seasonal difference of up to 250 mm between mean monthly precipitation of the driest and wettest months. While hymenopteran tracemakers were active, soil surface temperatures reached at least 30 °C and moisture content was between 10% and 20%. With timing of deposition constrained biostratigraphically to the Barstovian through Hemphillian, our paleoclimate interpretations are most consistent with the period of relative climate stability after Middle Miocene Climate Transition cooling and before Late Miocene Cooling (∼13.8 Ma–7 Ma). The trace-fossil assemblage reveals previously unknown biodiversity among soil arthropods, as well as important trophic connections between the belowground and aboveground components of the terrestrial food web.

Below-ground pitfall traps for standardised monitoring of soil mesofauna: Design and comparison to Berlese/Tullgren funnels

Sampling of soil mesofauna has been traditionally carried out with Berlese/Tullgren extractions, a century old technique. However, sampling methods involving the extractions of soil are becoming increasingly difficult to implement and standardise due to the lack of commercially available equipment. Moreover, they are poorly suited to repeated sampling in the same locations and underestimate more mobile taxa.Below-ground (hypogean) pitfall trapping is a promising new technique that up to now was only attempted with bulky custom-manufactured tools. In the present work we test a cheap and easily deployable setup made using standard pipe fittings.The new design was compared across different environments with Berlese/Tullgren extractions in order to ascertain whether they produce similar species lists and detect the same environment-induced changes in communities. The two trap types were found to yield structurally different assemblages, with the new design producing significantly higher abundance and diversity of springtails and larger taxa. Beta-diversity profiles resulted however perfectly comparable, characterising the same pattern of dissimilarities. In addition, a new method is proposed to use the two sampling types in combination to estimate the dispersal of soil organisms.Below-ground pitfall traps have the potential to complement Berlese extractions for reliable and standardised monitoring of soil arthropods, thanks to their effectiveness, low cost and ease of operation.

Soil arthropod community responses to restoration in areas impacted by iron mining tailings deposition after Fundão dam failure.

In 2015, the failure of the Fundão dam in Mariana, Brazil released ~43 million m3 of iron mining tailings into the environment. Despite restoration initiatives in the following years, few studies-and most focused on revegetation-have evaluated the effectiveness of the restoration process in areas impacted by the disaster. We aimed to evaluate the responses of the arthropod community in areas impacted by iron mining tailings deposition from the Fundão dam that is in the restoration process. We defined sampling units in the riparian zone of the Gualaxo do Norte River, which is under restoration, and in a native not impacted riparian zone. We collected soil arthropods using pitfall traps and sampled environmental variables in the same sites. We used generalize least squares models (GLS) to test if the restored areas already presented values of arthropod diversity and functional group abundance similar to the reference area and to test which environmental variables are influencing arthropod diversity. We also tested how large the differences of arthropod community composition between the study areas and used the index of indicator species (IndVal) to verify which species could be used as an indicator of reference or restoration areas. The diversity of arthropods and the functional groups of detritivores and omnivores were higher in the native riparian zone. Understory density, soil density, organic matter content, and microbial biomass carbon were the environmental variables that significantly explained the diversity and species composition of arthropods. We show that restoration areas still have different soil arthropod diversity values and community composition when compared to reference areas. Evaluating the response of the arthropod community to the restoration process and long-term monitoring are essential to achieve a satisfactory result in this process and achieve a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Soil Arthropod Diversity, Richness and Abundance in Agricultural Ecosystems

Soil arthropods play a crucial role in an ecosystem and act as predators, pollinators, parasitoids, herbivores and decomposers. Arthropods are used as biological indicators for agroecosytem integrity. In the present study a total of 1914 species was recorded. Class Arachnida, Insecta and Crustaceans were found. Class Entognatha and Chilopoda were the others recorded. Family Paronellidae from Entognatha, Scarabaeidae from Insecta and Lycosidae from Arachnida revealed highest number of individual species of 189, 114 and 132, respectively. In Chilopoda and Crustacea a total number of 63 and 138 species were recorded. Highest value of Shannon Weiner index 3.12 at familial species and 3.44 at species level and Simpson’s index of 20.03 and 25.71 at familial level and species level, respectively was recorded during November.

Responses of soil arthropods to fertilisation with ruminant manure in irrigated buffel grass production

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to characterise the edaphic macrofauna in soil cultivated with Cenchrus ciliaris L. under irrigation and fertilised with ruminant manure in a Brazilian semi-arid region. The experimental design was in split plots. The main plot was composed using tanned manure from 3 species of ruminants (goat, cattle and sheep), in addition to the control treatment (without manure). The subplots were composed of 3 production cycles of buffel grass. Collections of edaphic macrofauna were performed every 28 days. A total of 3453 arthropods were collected, distributed in 15 taxonomic groups representing 12 orders, 7 of which belong to the Insecta class; 3 from the Arachnid class; and 2 from the Diplopoda class. Ants (Formicidae) accounted for 86.76% of this abundance and were followed by representatives of the orders Araneae (4.26%), Polydesmida (3.61%) and Scarabaeidae (1.58%). Principal Components 1 and 2 explained 56% of the data variation. Bovine manure attracted a greater abundance of individuals, mainly ants. Goat manure showed the highest abundance (p < 0.0013) of the Scarabaeidae class, while sheep manure showed the highest abundance (p < 0.0110) of the Embioptera. The number of individuals varied between the beginning and end of each cycle.

High trait diversity among soil arthropods allows their survival in a heterogeneous eco-agricultural mosaic

Studies examining changes in functional diversity and trait composition for soil arthropods are limited yet crucial for understanding the effects of land-use change. To determine whether plantation forestry drives functional homogenization of soil biota, we compared the taxonomic and functional diversity of ants and springtails between natural (indigenous forests and grasslands) and transformed (Eucalyptus plantations) biotopes. The prevalence of morphological and ecological traits in natural vs. transformed biotopes was also assessed. The study was conducted in two environmentally contrasting regions: high elevation areas with clay soils and coastal areas with sandy soils, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Surprisingly, the Eucalyptus compartments generally had similar levels of taxonomic and functional diversity as indigenous forests and/or grasslands. However, there were shifts in traits between the three biotopes, with each biotope supporting arthropods with traits suited to the environmental conditions in the biotope. Some traits were representative of the natural biotopes, and others of the plantation compartments. As a functionally diverse component of soil biodiversity is present in the plantations, it is indicative that these plantations have seemingly high levels of ecosystem stability and functioning. Arthropod traits compatible with the different environments appear to allow them to persist in high diversity across the landscape mosaic. These results suggest that enhancing landscape heterogeneity in a production landscape increases taxonomic and functional diversity of soil arthropods by creating a large-scale, spatial mosaic of complementary conditions for species with different habitat requirements.

Evaluating the Impact of Long-Term Land Use Change and Age since Disturbance on Soil Faunal Diversity

Soil organisms are the biological drivers of processes and functions that maintain soil properties and ecosystem services. Soil fauna contribute to nutrient turnover, decomposition and other important biogeochemical processes. This investigation assessed the diversity and abundance of soil arthropods (0.1–4 mm) along a chronosequence of land use types covering a relatively small geographical distance but with the same underlying soil type and climatic conditions. The compared habitats and the approximate ages since anthropogenic disturbance were ancient woodland (&gt;200 y), old woodland (&lt;200 y), unimproved semi-natural grassland (&gt;50 y), willow/poplar coppice (&gt;30 y), unimproved permanent pasture (&lt;20 y), improved permanent pasture (&lt;10 y), and recently grazed and reseeded grassland (&gt;2 y), and the soil types of all habitats were the same within a 5 km radius. Land use type and age since anthropogenic disturbance significantly (p &lt; 0.05) influenced the community composition of soil fauna, with richer arthropod communities found in woodlands compared with recently managed grassland. This study has confirmed a significant effect of land use type and age since disturbance on soil faunal diversity and community structure.

Onthophagus taurus Increases Soil Microbes Associated with Nutrient Cycling in California Pastureland Soils

When grazed intensively, grasslands can result in biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions. However, when grasslands are maintained using agroecological practices, they can create diverse habitats and act as carbon sinks. Carbon sequestration in soil is mediated by the soil microbial community, which is largely affected by influxes of nutrients and the soil arthropod community. One such arthropod, the tunneling dung beetle Onthophagus taurus (Schreber 1759) incorporates animal dung into the soil, influencing both the soil microbial community and nutrient cycling. While dung beetles do affect the soil microbial community, there is a dearth of studies that examine the effect of tunneling dung beetles on soil microbial communities that may be associated with nutrient cycling. This study looks at the effect of the tunneling dung beetle O. taurus on the fungal, bacterial, and archaeal community of grassland soil in an in situ experiment in California's Central Coast region, using eDNA metabarcoding of the 16S locus for bacteria and archaea and the ITS1 locus for fungi. We find that O. taurus has a clear effect on the soil microbial community and its presence increases the abundance of soil microbes affiliated with degrading plant materials and carbohydrate metabolism.

Going belowground: burying anthropomorphic biases on gustation and olfaction

Chemical signaling underpins behavioral interactions among organisms in the soil. Understanding chemical communication in the soil requires a paradigm shift in methodology and perspectives compared to aboveground ecosystems because olfaction and gustation, accepted modalities of chemosensation aboveground, may not accurately represent chemical communication in the soil. To fully understand chemical communication in the soil, it is essential to consider how soil properties, such as moisture, pH, and adsorption, affect the transport and perception of semiochemicals. De-anthropomorphizing the study of chemosensation can avoid potential biases, particularly in soil systems, where distinctions between olfaction and gustation are confounded by the heterogeneity of the soil environment and its effects on the mobility of chemical signals. In this perspective, we first explore how soil heterogeneity confounds the dichotomy between olfaction and gustation with hypothetical but ecologically relevant examples. Then we examine how anthropomorphic biases in aboveground chemical ecology have influenced soil chemical ecology. Our examples and discussion are prepared primarily in reference to soil arthropods. We conclude by discussing seven future research directions and outstanding questions. The soil is a premier example of a system where investigators should avoid anthropomorphisms when studying behavioral and chemical ecology. Research in soil chemical ecology should further efforts towards developing a unified view of chemosensation that could apply to all environments where chemical communication occurs.

Genetic diversity and gene flow of the soil arthropod (Scolopendra mutilans) in urban landscapes: The roles of rivers, mountains and fragmentation

Abstract Soil invertebrates are a major element of soil biodiversity, which play critical roles in soil ecosystems. However, the impacts of urban landscapes on the genetic diversity and gene flows of soil arthropods remain unclear. Here, we studied the genetic diversity and gene flow of Scolopendra mutilans in an urban area using mitochondrial Cytb genes and eight novel microsatellite loci. A total of 22 haplotypes and 24 variation sites were identified based on 556 bp Cytb sequences from 84 individuals of five populations in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. There were 5.63–8.00 alleles in the average of eight microsatellites found in the S. mutilans arthropod populations, which showed high genetic diversity in urban landscapes. There was no correlation between the natural habitat size and genetic diversity of S. mutilans. The global Fst value based on microsatellites was 0.115, which suggested a medium genetic differentiation and population isolation. The genetic structure of S. mutilans might be affected by urbanisation, as urban patches might hinder gene flow between populations. Ecological corridors preserved in cities might serve as pathways for population migration, which increases gene flow. The gene flows of S. mutilans might not be hindered by natural barriers within cities, as there were strong relationships between populations separated by rivers. These results may contribute to the conservation of S. mutilans diversity and elucidate its adaptation to urbanisation.

Effects of Soil Arthropods on Non-Leaf Litter Decomposition: A Meta-Analysis

According to the widely accepted triangle model, global litter decomposition is collectively controlled by climate, litter initial quality, and decomposers. However, the specific contribution of soil arthropods to litter, especially the non-leaf litter, the decomposition of terrestrial ecosystems and its drivers are still unclear. We conducted a global meta-analysis based on 268 pairs of data to determine the contribution and pattern of soil arthropods to branch, stem, and root litter decomposition in farmlands, forests, and grasslands and analyzed the relationship of soil arthropods’ decomposition effect and potential drivers. Our results showed that: (1) soil arthropods increased global non-leaf litter mass loss by 32.3%; (2) the contribution varied with climate zone and ecosystem type, with a value of subtropical (53.3%) &gt; temperate (18.7%) &gt; tropical (14.7%) and of farmlands (40.6%) &gt; grasslands (34.3%) &gt; forests (0.6%), respectively; (3) the soil arthropods’ decomposition effect gradually decreased with decomposition time, and it was higher in litterbags with a mesh size of 1–2 mm (65.4%) and &gt;2 mm (49.8%) than that of 0.5–1 mm (13.6%); (4) the soil arthropods’ decomposition effects were negatively correlated with the litter initial C/N ratio, mean annual precipitation (MAP; p &lt; 0.001), and elevation and was positively correlated with litter weight. In conclusion, soil arthropod promoted global non-leaf litter decomposition, and the contribution varied with climate zone, ecosystem type, and decomposition time as well as litterbag mesh size. Overall, this study improves the understanding of soil arthropods driving global non-leaf litter decomposition.

Can Grasslands in Photovoltaic Parks Play a Role in Conserving Soil Arthropod Biodiversity?

Under the increasing global energy demand, the new European Union Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 encourages combinations of energy production systems compatible with biodiversity conservation; however, in photovoltaic parks, panels shadowing the effects on soil health and biodiversity are still unknown. This study (location: Northern Italy) aimed to evaluate the effect of ground-mounted photovoltaic (GMPV) systems on soil arthropod biodiversity, considering two parks with different vegetation management: site 1-grassland mowed with tractor; site 2-grassland managed with sheep and donkeys. Three conditions were identified in each park: under photovoltaic panel (row), between the panel rows (inter-row), and around the photovoltaic plant (control). The soil pH and organic matter (SOM), soil arthropod community, biodiversity, and soil quality index (e.g., QBS-ar index) were characterised. Differences between the two GMPVs were mainly driven by the SOM content (higher values where grazing animals were present). No differences were observed in site 1, even if a high heterogeneity of results was observed for the soil biodiversity parameters under the panels. In site 2, SOM and pH, as well as arthropods biodiversity and QBS-ar, showed low values in the row. Soil fauna assemblages were also affected by ground-mounted panels, where Acarina, Collembola, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera showed the lowest density in the row. This study suggests that ground-mounted solar panels had significant effects on below-ground soil fauna, and was more marked depending on the system management. Furthermore, the results obtained for the inter-row were similar to the control, suggesting that the area between the panel rows could be considered a good hotspot for soil biodiversity.

Copper-contaminated soil compromises thermal performance in the springtail Folsomia candida (Collembola)

The widespread agricultural and industrial emissions of copper-based chemicals have increased copper levels in soils worldwide. Copper contamination can cause a range of toxic effects on soil animals and influence thermal tolerance. However, toxic effects are commonly investigated using simple endpoints (e.g., mortality) and acute tests. Thus, how organisms respond to ecological realistic sub-lethal and chronic exposures across the entire thermal scope of an organism is not known. In this study, we investigated the effects of copper exposure on the thermal performance of a springtail (Folsomia candida), regarding its survival, individual growth, population growth, and the composition of membrane phospholipid fatty acids. Folsomia candida (Collembola) is a typical representative of soil arthropods and a model organism that has been widely used for ecotoxicological studies. In a full-factorial soil microcosm experiment, springtails were exposed to three levels of copper (ca. 17 (control), 436, and 1629 mg/kg dry soil) and ten temperatures from 0 to 30 °C. Results showed that three-week copper exposure at temperatures below 15 °C and above 26 °C negatively influenced the springtail survival. The body growth was significantly lower for the springtails in high-dose copper soils at temperatures above 24 °C. A high copper level reduced the number of juveniles by 50 %, thereby impairing population growth. Both temperature and copper exposure significantly impacted membrane properties. Our results indicated that high-dose copper exposure compromised the tolerance to suboptimal temperatures and decreased maximal performance, whereas medium copper exposure partially reduced the performance at suboptimal temperatures. Overall, copper contamination reduced the thermal tolerance of springtails at suboptimal temperatures, probably by interfering with membrane homeoviscous adaptation. Our results show that soil organisms living in copper-contaminated areas might be more sensitive to thermally stressful periods.

Diversity And Abundance of Collembola in Agroforestry Land in UB Forest

Collembola is one of the soil arthropods from the subphylum Hexapoda, namely six-legged arthropods that live in the soil, soil surface, leaf litter, under decomposed stems, and in living fungi. This study aims to determine and examine the diversity and abundance of Collembola on agroforestry land in UB Forest. The preparation and implementation of the research consisted of the determination of plot land, determination of soil sampling points, making holes and soil sampling, extraction of Collembola with a Berlese funnel, sorting and identification of Collembola, soil chemistry analysis and data analysis using the index formula of diversity, evenness, dominance, richness, and abundance and further analyzed with the T-test. The largest population of Collembola is found in pine + coffee land, which is 242 individuals. The highest diversity index is found in pine land, which is 1.04 which is classified as moderate or quite stable. The highest percentage of Collembola species abundance in pine + coffee fields, pine lands, and coffee fields is the family Isotomidae. The lowest percentage of Collembola abundance in pine + coffee fields and pine fields is the family Hypogastruridae, while in coffee fields it is the family Sminthuridae.

Agricultural management practices impact soil properties more than soil microarthropods

Soil biology is a fundamental aspect of soil quality; thus, it is imperative to understand how agricultural management impacts soil organisms. Among soil biota, microarthropods such as mites (Acari) and springtails (Collembola) act at multiple trophic levels, influencing soil microbial communities and nutrient dynamics. We investigated how agricultural management influences soil microarthropods at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service Farming Systems Project (FSP), a long-term study comparing the sustainability and productivity of conventional and organic agriculture, in Beltsville, Maryland. We sampled soil and soil microarthropods from plots under conventional management—tilled and no till—and under organic management. Though soils managed using organic practices had significantly higher values for organic matter and several key nutrients, we found no significant differences in microarthropod abundance and QBS-ar score among agricultural systems. All agricultural plots scored lower in both metrics than undisturbed areas evaluated for comparison. Thus, differences in abiotic soil factors do not necessarily translate into differences in the biotic community; these differences may only be apparent with greater taxonomic resolution than used in this study. These results demonstrate the utility of the QBS-ar index in evaluating impacts of agricultural management on biological components of soil quality, specifically soil arthropod communities.

Functions of microarthropods in reclaimed mines spoil: A case study of Kathara Coalfield area of Jharkhand,India

Reclaimed mines spoil (RMS) is the byproduct of open-cast mining and an ecological footprint under twin stresses namely, anthropogenic and natural. The present paper measures the stresses in reclaimed coal mine spoils and has two sections – the first dealing with the experiments and their results, while the second section derives an ecological model from the experiment. An experiment was carried out (experimental years, 2006 – 2008) in reclaimed coal mine spoils (RMS) of Jharkhand. Four RMSs of different chrono sequences of plantations on the overburden dumps (OBD) were considered for the study. Data on soil arthropods along with other physical parameters were collected from a 1meter x 1meter grid of quadrate periodically. It was observed that the Shannon diversity index of younger RMS was higher than the 15- and 30-year-old RMS. Old age sites and forests had a higher Diversity Index. Simpson’s index was 0.0877, 0.889, 0.869, and 0.887 in four RMS sites, and 0.885, and 0.917 in the forest. Organisms in degraded systems are initially rudrals – create a functional system and establish as K-select species. It was observed that the system has stresses – homeostatic processes that keep a system in its original state, and other forces – resilience pulls them out of the status quo but in reclaimed mine spoils an additional force anthropogenic activities work synergistically with the forces of resilience that push the system towards non-equilibrium, which is critical for succession and ecesis. Based on findings and functional stresses in the system an ecological model was developed for ecesis that is operative in the system.

Effects of Life Stage on the Sensitivity of Folsomia candida to Four Pesticides.

The registration of pesticides in the European Union requires the assessment of the toxicity of active substances to soil invertebrates. The most commonly tested soil microarthropod species is Folsomia candida (Collembola), for which toxicity tests usually start with juveniles and determine survival and reproduction after 28 days of exposure, following Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development test guideline 232. Test duration may be shortened to 21 days by starting exposures with adult animals. The toxicity of chemicals can, however, vary significantly between different life stages (e.g., juveniles or adults) of the same species. In the present study, we assessed the toxicity of four active substances (cyproconazole, teflubenzuron, imidacloprid, and thiacloprid) to F. candida aged approximately 10 days (juveniles) and 20 days (adults) at the beginning of the tests. Tests were performed in LUFA 2.2 standard soil at 20 ± 2 °C, and effect concentration (ECx) values compared using likelihood ratio tests. The tests lasted 21 days for older springtails and 28 days for the younger ones. Life stage did affect the sensitivity of the springtails, with the survival and reproduction of younger animals being a factor of 2-6.5 more sensitive to the insecticides but not to the fungicide. For teflubenzuron and imidacloprid, the EC50 for younger springtails were 0.025 and 0.111 mg a.s. kg-1 soildw , respectively, and for adults 0.048 and 0.264 mg a.s. kg-1 soildw , respectively. For the younger animals the median lethal concentration values for teflubenzuron, imidacloprid, and thiacloprid were 0.353, 0.224, and 1.02 mg a.s. kg-1 soildw , respectively, and 0.571, 0.446, and 6.91 mg a.s. kg-1 soildw , respectively, for older animals. We discuss the implication of these differences for the risk assessment of pesticides to soil arthropods. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;00:1-9. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Linking agricultural diversification practices, soil arthropod communities and soil health

Abstract Soil arthropods comprise a substantial portion of soil biodiversity and regulate processes in the soil ecosystem. Despite this, cropping system diversification designed to improve soil health for agriculture is rarely evaluated for its effects on soil arthropod biodiversity and community structure. As a result, soil arthropods are not usually considered in management decisions. To address this gap, we evaluated the effects of agricultural diversification through rotation on soil arthropods and soil properties using replicated large‐plot field studies representing two climatically distinct agroecological classes (AECs) in the dryland cereal‐growing region of the inland Pacific Northwest, USA. We investigated how different 3‐year annual crop rotations affected soil arthropod biodiversity and community structure. Treatments reflected ‘business‐as‐usual’ rotations in dryland systems and diversified rotations achieved by incorporating novel winter pea (WP) or forage crops (FORs). We also assessed relationships between the Soil Biological Quality index (QBS‐ar), which uses soil arthropods as bioindicators of soil health, and other biological and physiochemical soil health indicators. We collected 710 community samples with 82,509 arthropod specimens across 66 taxa. Novel crops in diversified rotations promoted soil arthropod abundance and biodiversity relative to crops they could replace in rotation. Crop type determined community composition. Most taxa driving differences in community structure were predators and detritivores associated with WP and FORs. In addition to effects on soil arthropods associated with specific crops, effects were also detected across rotations. Incorporating WP into rotations improved QBS‐ar across entire rotations, not just in the WP phases, in both AECs. Links between QBS‐ar and other soil health indicators were complex and varied by AEC. Synthesis and applications: Soil arthropods respond to agricultural diversification and can be used as bioindicators to assess the effects of diversification on soil health. Below‐ground arthropod communities are structured by crop type, suggesting that planting specific crops may promote soil arthropods and their services. We showed that incorporating winter pea and forage crops into dryland cereal rotations supported soil arthropod biodiversity and soil health. Results indicate that soil arthropod assessments can be included in the soil health framework to guide agricultural management decisions.

Arthropod Community Structure Indicating Soil Quality Recovery in the Organic Agroecosystem of Mount Ciremai National Park’s Buffer Zone

&lt;a name="_Hlk128052096"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a name="_Hlk128036424"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt;The&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt; Mount Ciremai National Park (TNGC) buffer zone is designed to support conservation efforts. However, agriculture in this area is dominated by conventional farming that excessively uses synthetic fertilizers, which threatens soil quality. Introducing an organic fertilizer and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is expected to enhance soil quality recovery in this area. This study aimed to analyze the differences in soil arthropod communities between organic and conventional agriculture and a forest in the TNGC buffer zone to assess soil quality improvement generated by the application of the organic fertilizer and PGPR. Soil arthropods were collected with Berlese-Tullgren funnels and pitfall traps. Several associated environmental parameters, including soil pH, C-organic, temperature, and moisture, were also measured. Data were analyzed using ecological indices (i.e., richness, diversity, evenness, dominance, similarity) and soil biological quality (QBS-ar). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was performed to examine the relation of arthropods with environmental parameters. In total, 957 individuals of soil arthropods belonging to four classes and 15 orders were recorded. Berlese-Tullgren and pitfall traps resulted in a similar tendency in most variables, with higher richness, diversity, and evenness values in the forest, followed by organic and conventional habitats. In addition, similarity and QBS-ar indicated that forest and organic communities were more similar than conventional community. C-organic, soil moisture and pH were considered the most deciding environmental parameters for arthropod assemblages. All measured variables in this study illustrated better soil quality in organic than in conventional agriculture. This study implicates the benefit of utilizing organic fertilizers and PGPR for soil quality restoration in agroecosystems.&lt;/span&gt;

Genetic diversity varies with species traits and latitude in predatory soil arthropods (Myriapoda: Chilopoda).

To investigate the drivers of intra-specific genetic diversity in centipedes, a group of ancient predatory soil arthropods. Asia, Australasia and Europe. Present. Centipedes (Class: Chilopoda). We assembled a database of 1245 mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences representing 128 centipede species from all five orders of Chilopoda. This sequence dataset was used to estimate genetic diversity for centipede species and compare its distribution with estimates from other arthropod groups. We studied the variation in centipede genetic diversity with species traits and biogeography using a beta regression framework, controlling for the effect of shared evolutionary history within a family. A wide variation in genetic diversity across centipede species (0-0.1713) falls towards the higher end of values among arthropods. Overall, 27.57% of the variation in mitochondrial COI genetic diversity in centipedes was explained by a combination of predictors related to life history and biogeography. Genetic diversity decreased with body size and latitudinal position of sampled localities, was greater in species showing maternal care and increased with geographic distance among conspecifics. Centipedes fall towards the higher end of genetic diversity among arthropods, which may be related to their long evolutionary history and low dispersal ability. In centipedes, the negative association of body size with genetic diversity may be mediated by its influence on local abundance or the influence of ecological strategy on long-term population history. Species with maternal care had higher genetic diversity, which goes against expectations and needs further scrutiny. Hemispheric differences in genetic diversity can be due to historic climatic stability and lower seasonality in the southern hemisphere. Overall, we find that despite the differences in mean genetic diversity among animals, similar processes related to life-history strategy and biogeography are associated with the variation within them.