Soil Cover Types Research Articles

Soil cover shapes organic matter pools and microbial communities in soils of maritime Antarctica

Bryophytes and biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are the two major biological soil cover types of maritime Antarctica and play a crucial role for key ecosystem functions in the barely vegetated and little developed soils. Besides their profound impacts on nutrient cycling, they also provide habitats and activity hotspots for unique soil microbial communities. Yet, the effects of biological soil cover on the physical and chemical soil environment and belowground microbial communities have not been comprehensively studied in this fragile ecosystem.We here address the research question how biocrusts and mosses shape the quantity and structure of the soil organic matter pool, and the activity and composition of subjacent microbial communities. Towards this end, we sampled soils under two common, but physiologically distinct moss species, Polytrichastrum alpinum and Sanionia unicinata, and adjacent biological soil crusts at two sites on Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.We found that biocrusts and mosses differentially influenced central soil properties and subjacent soil microbial communities. All major SOM compound groups (carbohydrates, aromatics and phenols, lipids, N-containing polymers) as well as microbial biomass were more abundant in soil under biocrusts. However, microbial mass-specific growth rates were higher in soil under mosses. Our results showed moss-species-specific effects in addition to effects of soil cover type, as P. alpinum affected the activity and structure of soil microbial communities and the composition of soil organic matter stronger than S. unicinata.Our study highlights the interconnectedness between soil cover and soil biogeochemistry, which is crucial for deepening our understanding of belowground functioning in Antarctic soils. This linkage is of particular importance in the context of ongoing rapid climate change on the Antarctic Peninsula, as future shifts in the distribution and abundance of soil cover may substantially impact multiple soil processes in this vulnerable ecosystem.

Waste Management: Landfill Selection Using Gis and Analytical Hierarchy Process

The widespread use of landfilling as a convenient waste management method has become unsustainable due to the rapid development causing a surge in waste generation, threatening the lifespan of existing landfills. The closure of landfills presents waste management challenges, necessitating more extensive garbage disposal facilities to accommodate the growing urban population. However, poor site selection methods can have a negative impact on both the environment and human health, which goes against the objectives of sustainable development goal (SDG). Methods like Geographic Information System (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) facilitate decision-making processes. This integration reduces analysis time and costs enhances accuracy and minimizes errors. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) provides a framework to validate judgments and derive measurable values in decision-making involving theories and concepts. In this study, several criteria were used to create a final suitability map which is the distance from the residential area, distance from the plantation area, distance from the main road, distance from waterways, type of soil, slope, and land cover. The results indicate that distance from residential has the highest weightage of importance, which is 27%. It also found that the highly suitable new landfill area is located at Batu in Kuala Langat, Pulau Carey, and Bukit Rotan in Kuala Selangor.

Tecnologias para redução do uso de água no abacaxizeiro em região semiárida

ABSTRACT: In irrigated systems, the adoption of management methods like soil cover, polymers which absorb the water present in the soil and the utilization of shading screens can decrease the water consumption by the plants. This is achieved as these means protect the plant and soil against radiation and wavelengths of light undesirable for cultivation. However, for pineapple cultivation in the semi-arid climate regions, very little study has been done regarding these technologies. Hence, the present study conducted to assess the pineapple growth, production and quality when various kinds of soil cover, red shading screen and water absorption polymers are employed. To accomplish this, a field trial was performed utilizing four types of soil cover in the plots (plastic mulching; organic matter; organic matter + red shading screen 50%; plastic mulching + red shading screen 50% and the control (no cover).Two treatments were included in the subplots namely, either the absence or presence of a water-absorbing polymer in the planting hole (0.5 g per plant), arranged in subdivided plots. We adopted the Randomized Complete Block (RCB) , with three replications. The following aspects of the plants were studied: naturally flowering, stem diameter; leaf area index; D-leaf area and total leaf area; fruit weight with crown; fruit weight without crown; fruit length with crown; and fruit length without crown, as well as the traits of the post-harvest fruit, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH and the soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio. Further, the productivity in t ha-1 and efficiency of water use (EUA) were ascertained. It was evident that the plastic mulching + 50% red shading screen favored the vegetative development and productivity of the ‘IAC Fantástico’ pineapple plants. The characteristics of the quality of the postharvest fruit were unaffected by the treatments. The shading screen reduced the percentages of natural flowering in the treatments which included organic matter + red shading screen 50% and plastic mulching + red shading screen 50%.

Agronomic Performance, Oil Yield and Hydrolate Quality of Patchouli Cultivated in Different Soil Covers.

This study describes the evaluation of the effectiveness of different soil covers on the development, productivity, yield and metabolic content of patchouli oil (Pogostemon cablin) and its hydrolate. The agronomic experiments were carried out in the field, including four types of soil cover and six replications (4 x 6), using green cover (peanut), straw (crotalaria and millet straw), white plastic cover, and no mulch (weeding). After transplanting, the initial growth of seedlings was analyzed through weekly monitoring of plant height, stem diameter, and the number of leaves. At harvest time, the harvest yield (green mass) was performed. After drying the leaves, the oil and hydrolate were extracted by steam distillation and then the yield of patchouli oil was determined. Regarding the agronomic analyses, white plastic and straw coverage was superior to the other treatments, with higher plant heights, number of leaves, whereas the plastic and straw coverage was superior to the other treatments, with higher plant heights, number of leaves and green mass yield. The metabolic content was evaluated using High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS), and the chemical markers were identified through the analysis of the MS/MS fragmentation spectra and chemotaxonomic data. No significant differences were observed in the essential oils yields and their hydrolates and the intensities of the major ions found in the samples identified as chemical markers for the quality control of P. cablin.

Determination of Sustainable Groundwater Conservation Zones Based on Groundwater Recharge Areas: Case Study: Denpasar City

Groundwater is a valuable resource for meeting the daily needs of humans, which continues to increase along with population growth. Therefore, it is essential to maintain groundwater properly. Groundwater management can be carried out comprehensively in groundwater basins, including determining groundwater recharge areas. This study aims to determine the location of groundwater recharge to conserve groundwater in Denpasar City to create groundwater sustainability. The geospatial analysis uses a weighting and scoring approach (Overlay Weighted Sum) to determine the groundwater recharge area. Retrieval data in the field by observing geological conditions and measuring the depth of the phreatic surface in Denpasar City. The determination of recharge and discharge areas was analyzed using the geospatial method using the ArcGIS 10.8 application using Interpolation Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW). The five parameters used in this scoring assessment are lithology, rainfall, soil cover type, slope, and phreatic surface depth. The highest score obtained from the weighting of the scoring is 46, while the lowest score is 36. The recharge area is found in the weighted value of 41-46, which is in the northern region of Denpasar City. The discharge area is located at a weight value of 36-41 in the southern area of Denpasar City.

Prediction of the spatiotemporal evolution of vegetation cover in the Huainan mining area and quantitative analysis of driving factors.

The prediction of the spatiotemporal dynamic evolution of vegetation cover in the Huainan mining area and the quantitative evaluation of its driving factors are of great significance for protecting and restoring the environment in this area. This study uses the Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI time-series data to estimate the vegetation cover and uses the transition matrix to analyze the spatiotemporal transfer of vegetation cover from 1989 to 2004, 2004 to 2021, and 2021 to 2030. In addition, a structural equation model (SEM) was established in this study to assess the driving factors of vegetation cover. The quantitative analysis and the cellular automata (CA)-Markov model were performed to predict the future vegetation cover in the Huainan mining area. The results are as follows: (1) In different periods, the vegetation cover types were mainly high cover types transferred to other vegetation cover types; (2) human activities are the key factors affecting the vegetation growth, while topographical factor is the most influential factor promoting the vegetation growth; (3) highly consistent CA-Markov and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) predicted results of vegetation cover in 2030 compared to that in 2021. The proportion of bare soil and low cover types had increased significantly, mainly concentrated in the internal area of the mines. The prediction of the spatiotemporal evolution of vegetation cover in the Huainan mining area and the quantitative change in driving factors are of significant importance for the restoration of the environment in mining areas.

Can Soil Cover Affect the Performance, Yield, and Quality of Creeping Fresh Market Tomato Hybrids?

Soil cover is a major factor in the cultivation of creeping tomatoes, especially for in natura consumption. This study aimed to determine the combination of a suitable tomato hybrid and soil cover, resulting in superior production performance and quality attributes of tomato fruits. Tomato hybrids (Fascínio and Thaíse) were cultivated on five soil cover types (uncovered soil, plastic mulch, sorghum, Sudan grass, and pearl millet). The data were submitted to a principal component analysis (PCA), considering all the variables, through Biplot graphical analysis. A Pearson correlation analysis was performed at the 5% significance level. For biomass production, pearl millet and Sudan grass were distinguished from the other soil covers, showing lower decomposition rates and, consequently, longer half-lives. Covering with plastic mulch provided higher total (111 t ha−1) and commercial (74.4 t ha−1) yields, regardless of the analyzed hybrid. According to the PCA, soil cover management influences the production and quality of tomato fruits, except for chemical and post-harvest characteristics, and maintains ideal levels for commercialization for all treatments. The Fascínio hybrid presented better production attributes, higher total and commercial fruit production per plant as well as fruits with larger sizes, especially when grown in plastic mulch cover. The Fascínio hybrid also presented fruits with higher levels of bioactive compounds (lycopene and β-carotene).

Reflexions on an ENVI-met operation-methodology case study

An ENVI-met-operating methodology is case-studied aiming at contributing to the experience-exchange in ENVI-met’s applied-to-practice operation and providing its developers with feedback. The operating methodology is explained in detail as being applied – in an earlier research partnership with a city council’s urban-projects division – on an actual urban-street-requalification project. Daytime and night-time pedestrian-thermal-comfort impact of different intervention scenarios – differing both in soil-cover types and/or street-trees numbers and arrangements – were assessed and compared during a significant heat-wave event. The results seem to reveal a significant ENVI-met limitation on modelling green pergolas – open-wire-trellis overhang covered with climber plants.

Morphology and distribution of biological soil crusts and their potential role in soil-forming processes under dry high-altitude periglacial conditions (Eastern Pamir, Tajikistan)

Under demanding climatic conditions that limit the development of vascular vegetation, biological soil crusts (BSCs) drive the processes of soil formation and nutrient sequestration. Though BSCs were studied in glacier forelands worldwide, the high-altitude areas with a combination of glaciation/deglaciation and arid or hyperarid climate remain almost unstudied in this respect. Therefore, we provided the first data on BSCs from a glacier foreland in the E Pamir. These characteristics can be crucial for assessing BSC's role in soil-forming processes in dry, high-altitude periglacial environments. During our research, we assessed (1) BSCs’ morphology and distribution; (2) microbial biomass and nutrient retention patterns in morphologically differentiated BSC types, (3) C, N and P accumulation in BSCs biomass in comparison to sub-crust soils; (4) sub-crust soils enrichment in C, N and P in comparison to bare soils and soils under vascular plants; (5) potential origin and transformation degree of organic matter accumulated by BSCs. Our study showed that the distribution and development of BSCs were noticeably restricted, probably due to low temperatures, aridity and intense periglacial processes, resulting in continuous soil surface remodeling. Thus, poorly developed BSCs were the dominating biologically active soil cover type and, thus, most likely the main biological soil-forming factor in the foreland. BSCs accumulated C, N and P in their biomass and enriched their sub-crust soils in these nutrients. The average enrichment observed for soils under advanced crusts was similar to those obtained for soils under vascular plants. In all types of the studied samples, including bare soils, n-alkanes of vascular plant origin dominated, indicating mixing and uniform distribution of organic matter. Over the course of aridification projected for the Pamir Mountains, the BSCs could potentially become the most important player in the accumulation of soil nutrients in this area. However, due to the dominance of the simplest BSC type, soil formation in the Uisu Glacier foreland will be relatively slow.

Nematodes Associated with Terrestrial Slugs in Mid-Atlantic (Delaware, USA) Soybean

Slugs are cryptic terrestrial pests that target a wide range of crops and are especially damaging to seedlings. Management of these invertebrates mostly relies on synthetic chemistry. These molecules can be efficient against slugs and snails but can be toxic to other organisms (e.g., dogs) and harmful to the environment (e.g., leaching into surface and groundwater). The usage of pathogenic nematodes has been effective in several crops and European countries. A survey was conducted to investigate the presence of natural populations of malacopathogenic nematodes in soybean in the mid-Atlantic region. Slugs were sampled in nine fields across Delaware at various distances from the field edges (0 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15 m). Soil cover and soil type were also recorded. Invertebrates were brought back to the laboratory. Slugs were monitored for four weeks, and mortality was classified into one of three categories: (1) death with the presence of nematodes; (2) death with the presence of fungi; (3) death without the presence of nematodes or fungi. Nematodes associated with slugs were identified based on 18S rRNA sequencing. The distance from the field edge did not impact the number of trapped slugs and the incidence of slug death associated with the presence of nematodes. Overall, nematodes were collected from ca. 20% of the slug cadavers, and most have previously been associated with slugs (ca. 35% of deaths associated with fungi and ca. 45% not associated with nematodes or fungi). The number of captured slugs and slug death associated with the presence of nematodes were positively correlated with ground cover. Soil type impacted both the number of captured slugs and the presence of pathogenic nematodes. This survey provides a first insight into the natural populations of mollusk-associated nematodes in the mid-Atlantic region. This knowledge may contribute to implementing cultural practices favoring these natural enemies of slug pests.

Early ecosystem establishment using forest floor and peat cover soils in oil sands reclamation

ABSTRACT Early trends of plant community development provide the basis of ecosystem function and reclamation success of oil sand extraction sites. However, few studies have explicitly investigated species-level interactions with different cover soil types, placement depths, and time since reclamation during early plant community development in boreal forests. We investigated effectiveness of forest floor mineral mix (FMM) and peat mineral mix (PMM) cover soils and placement depths (10 and 20 cm) at four research sites 4 to 13 years after reclamation. Outcomes of this study indicate FMM had a more positive influence on woody plant densities, vegetation cover, and species richness than PMM. Species assemblage, composition, dominance, and types (successional stages, habitat types, competitive-stress tolerant-ruderal strategies) also showed FMM cover soil performed better than PMM. Greater vegetation cover and richness on deeper (20 cm) cover soil placements were evident. However, this effect of cover soil depth would likely decrease with time. Dominant and subdominant species on FMM were native and early to late successional, thus trajectory community development on FMM followed typical early succession of boreal forests (from ruderal and annual to perennial communities), while PMM was dominated by non-native and annual forbs which could slow succession and ecosystem recovery.

NITROGEN CONCENTRATION OF LYTHRUM SALICARIA POPULATONS IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

The present study is aimed at comparing the nitrogen concentration in leaves among populations of Lythrumsalicaria, correlating the nitrogen concentration data with the type of soil cover, the state and size of rivers, the intensity of agriculture, fragments of the riverbed. Despite the abundance of data on plant nitrogen, plants differ in species composition at each site, grow in certain climatic and soil conditions and are subjected to special human pressure. Due to genetic and phenetic differences, different sampling methods, nitrogen determination methods and individual estimates, the data obtained on the amounts of nitrogen in certain species is not easy to transfer from one region to another. Exceeding critical loads for eutrophication was detected in various parts of Lithuania [1] and then tested in this country and turned out to be higher than in other Baltic countries. For our study, only leaf blades were used, and nitrogen concentrations were determined by the Kjeldahl method. Significantly significantly higher (p <0.05) nitrogen concentrations in leaves were found in L. salicaria populations growing near small rivers (3.4%), compared with large ones (2.8%). Other selected parameters of the river and its environment in most cases did not significantly affect the nitrogen concentration in the leaves of Lythrumsalicaria populations. Further experimental study of the data on the saturation of L. salicaria with nitrogen is necessary.

Parameterizing the JULES land surface model for different land covers in the tropical Andes

ABSTRACT Physically based hydrological models such as the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) are increasingly used for hydrological assessments because of their state-of-the-art representation of physical processes and versatility. Generating parameter sets for a larger variety of land cover types may be an appropriate approach to simplify setting up JULES for operating simulations beyond the default parameterizations. Here we explore the possibilities of this approach using a case study in the tropical Andes. First, we evaluate to what extent the standard JULES land cover configurations can simulate the hydrological response of dominant soil and land cover types of the region. Next, we adjust the soil water retention parameters on a regional basis using experimental soil data from representative sites. We find that the adjusted parameters result in substantial alteration for the flow partition. Such parameterizations may increase the configurations to implement JULES for a larger variety of land cover types and assess soil disturbance’s potential impact more precisely.

Effects of Coarse Woody Debris on Soil Temperature and Water Content in Two Reconstructed Soils in Reclaimed Boreal Forest

Coarse woody debris (CWD) and cover soils are used to expedite ecological processes in reclaimed boreal forests after oil sands mining. Soil water content and soil temperature are considered key factors for revegetation during mine reclamation as they impact soil surface and atmosphere interactions and plant growth. However, the effects of CWD and cover soils on soil water content and temperature are not well studied. This study assessed the impact of CWD size (large, small) and type (spruce: Picea mariana, aspen: Populus tremuloides) on soil water content and temperature in two soils constructed with forest floor-mineral mix (FMM) and peat-mineral mix (PMM)) at oil sands reclamation sites. Annual and summer precipitation showed year-to-year variability; mean air temperature did not. Soil cover type had a greater impact on moderating soil water content than CWD, with PMM having a stronger influence on water content and temperature than FMM. Adding CWD increased soil water content more in FMM than PMM, and the effect on soil temperature was mostly observed during the summer months. In PMM, spruce small CWD was associated with greater water content, whereas there was no distinct differentiation between CWD size and type in FFM. This study suggests application of CWD in FMM would be more beneficial than in PMM for reclamation.

Fusion of airborne hyperspectral and LiDAR canopy-height data for estimating fractional cover of tall woody plants, herbaceous vegetation, and other soil cover types in a semi-arid savanna ecosystem

ABSTRACT Vegetation in semi-arid regions is often a spatially heterogeneous mix of bare soil, herbaceous vegetation, and woody plants. Detecting the fractional cover of woody plants versus herbaceous vegetation, in addition to non-photosynthetically active cover types such as biological soil crusts, dry grasses, and bare ground, is crucial for understanding spatial patterns and temporal changes in semi-arid savanna ecosystems. With and without the inclusion of LiDAR-derived canopy height information, we tested different configurations of unsupervised linear unmixing classification of hyperspectral data to estimate fractional cover of tall woody plants, herbaceous vegetation, and other non-photosynthetically active cover types. To perform this analysis, we used 1 m resolution hyperspectral and LiDAR data collected by the NEON airborne observation platform at the Santa Rita Experimental Range in Arizona. Our results show that both hyperspectral and canopy height information are needed in the linear unmixing algorithm to correctly identify tall woody plants versus herbaceous vegetation. However, including height data is not always sufficient to be able to separate the two vegetation types: selecting the optimum number of endmembers is also crucial for separating these two types of photosynthetically active vegetation. In comparison to our reference dataset, fractional cover accuracy was highest for the woody plant class based on two accuracy assessment methods, although the fractional cover of dense woody plant is likely underestimated because linear unmixing also detects sub-canopy elements. The accuracy of the herbaceous vegetation class was lower than the other classes, likely because of the presence of both active and senesced grasses. Our study presents the first use of both hyperspectral and canopy height information to separately detect fractional cover of woody plants versus herbaceous vegetation in addition to other bare soil cover types that should be useful for fractional cover classification in other semi-arid savanna ecosystems where hyperspectral and LiDAR data are available.

Impacto de la cobertura vegetal en la erosión-deposición del suelo por efecto de escorrentía superficial

Introduction: In arid regions, soil losses are caused by torrential rainfall events and by the erosive energy of runoff. Objectives: To quantify the impact of the use of different types of vegetation cover on soil erosion and soil deposition caused by overland flow. Methodology: The experiment was carried out from July to September 2017 under a randomized block experimental design with three replications. The treatments evaluated were maize harvest residues and buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) sowing (MHR + G), maize harvest residues (MHR), buffel grass sowing (G), and the control (C). Results: The MHR + G treatment reduced erosion by 44 % (26.3 t·ha-1) compared to the control (58.6 t·ha-1). Soil deposition was 47.6 and 51.7 t·ha-1 with MHR + G and G, respectively, while in C was 26.1 t·ha-1. Limitations of the study: The results found are valid for the soil and water conditions of this study Originality: There are few technical and scientific reports on the behavior of soil particle removal and deposition processes under runoff conditions. Conclusions: The layer thickness of soil removed and deposited, under overland flow conditions, depends on the type of soil cover. The MHR + G treatment significantly reduced soil erosion, making it a viable alternative.

A New Multistep Approach to Identify Leaf-Off Poplar Plantations Using Airborne Imagery

Identification of type of leafless trees using both fall imagery and field-based surveys is a global concern in the forest science community. Few studies were devoted to separate leafless trees from others in the growth season using remote sensing imagery. But this study was the first attempt to identify the type of leafless tree in the fall imagery. We investigated the potential of the Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC) and k-mean segmentation techniques, and texture and color image analyses to identify leafless poplar trees using imagery collected in a leaf-off season. For the first time in this study, the star shaped feature identifier was found through a binary image that was successful in identifying leaf-off poplar plantations. Optimal threshold values of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Green Index (NGI) indices were able to differentiate highly vegetated land, green farms, and gardens from the grasses that sometimes grow between poplar plantation lines. A Coefficient of Variation (CV) of red color intensity and histogram of value were also successful in separating bare soil and other land cover types. Imagery was processed and analyzed in a Matlab software. In this study, leafless poplar plantation was identified with a user accuracy of 84% and the overall accuracy was obtained 81.3%. This method provides a framework for identification of leafless poplar trees that may be beneficial for distinguishing other types of leafless trees.

ОПЫТ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ ВЕГЕТАЦИОННОГО ИНДЕКСА В ДИСТАНЦИОННЫХ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯХ ДИНАМИКИ ПРОДУКТИВНОСТИ ПОЧВЕННОГО ПОКРОВА ТЕРСКО-КУМСКОЙ НИЗМЕННОСТИ

The possibility of а remote approach to investigate soil and vegetation covers dynamics over a long-term period has been considered. The paper presents the experience of using the vegetation index (VI), reflecting the state of vegetation. For VI determining the OneSoil online service (https://app.onesoil.ai) was used as a tool. Previously, key areas with different types of soil cover by texture, salinization degree, and vegetation cover were identified. Based on 45 different and multi-season satellite images with a given time resolution, a picture of the dynamics of changes in the values of VI scale limits by the degree of projected vegetation coverage was obtained. It's well known that vegetation is an indirect indicator of soil cover condition, which identifies soil cover condition with high accuracy. High anthropogenic pressing, climatic changes and extremely dry summer 2020 promoted intensive landscape degradation in the South of Russia. As a result, it was revealed that during the five-year period, negative changes in the annual values of the growing index decreased by almost 2.5 times.

Flood Modeling on Koya Catchment Area Using Hyfran, Web Map Service, and HEC-RAS Software

In this research, The boundaries of the Koya catchment area have been delineated, and valley paths in the region were drawn by using the Water Modeling System (WMS) software, Analysis of the morphometric information indicated that the morphometric characteristics of watersheds contribute to the floods. The average surface runoff depth depends on the curve number values that are determined based on the types of soil cover and soil class according to Harmonized World Soil Database HWSD software that indicates the soil class in the study area are Group B silt loam, The results obtained also show that the potential for surface runoff varies with land use and soil characteristics. Also, the value of the curve number (CN) was determined to be 71. The hydrological modeling was performed by the HEC-HMS program that simulates the process of rainfall to runoff using the SCS curve number model. A flood hydrograph was constructed at the catchment area outlet and the floodplain delineation was verified by the HEC-RAS software. The results indicated that the 100-year return period flood could Reach critical areas such as the urban area, agricultural area, residential areas. the results of this study indicate that there are suitable sites in the catchment areas for constructing small dams and ponds for water harvesting.

Soil type, vegetation cover and temperature determinants of the diversity and structure of dung beetle assemblages in a South African open woodland and closed canopy mosaic

AbstractRegional biogeographical patterns result from a complex combination across habitat, climate and environmental variables. Biotic and abiotic variables strongly influence the diversity and spatial distribution patterns. However, very few studies analyse the close interaction and effect of environmental variables on diversity at fine spatiotemporal scales. In this study, we evaluated the influence of soil type, vegetation cover and temperature on species diversity and functional structure of dung beetle assemblages. Dung beetle species were sampled using pitfall traps baited with cattle dung from sandy and clay soils in open woodland and closed canopy areas in Mkhuze Game Reserve, KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. We performed a PERMANOVA, a PERMDISP and an NMDS to analyse differences in species composition between soil and vegetation cover types. To test the effect of environmental variables on species richness and abundance, we performed a generalised least squares model. Lastly, we searched for nodes using a bipartite analysis to evaluate network’s potential modularity. We collected 1439 specimens comprising 27 species and 13 genera. Species composition differed between environmental variables. Soil type was the most important driver for changes in dung beetle species composition. Species richness and abundance were influenced by the interaction between soil type and vegetation cover. The combination of microenvironmental preferences potentially influenced the dung beetle assemblage diversity and functional structure. Combining all these preferences may act as a dilution mechanism of interspecific competition in saturated habitat conditions, reducing the number of species that potentially interact and generating a modular network structure of the assemblage.