Plant species effects on soil macrofauna density in grassy arable fallows of different age

Abstract

The density of soil macrofauna groups in nine grassy arable fallows of different age were investigated in a factorial design with the factors ‘plant species’ (legume: Medicago sativa , herb: Taraxacum officinale , grass: Bromus sterilis ) and ‘age class’ (A1: 2–3/3–4, A2: 6–8/7–9, A3: 12–15/13–16 years in 2008/2009). Four plots were selected randomly at each fallow. In May 2008 and May 2009, within each plot five M. sativa , T. officinale and B. sterilis plants were extracted with their associated soil using steel cylinders. The material from each plant species was used for extraction of soil macrofauna and for determination of environmental parameters. The main results were (i) the density of the saprophagous macrofauna was significantly higher in B. sterilis than in M. sativa and T. officinale samples indicating that this group possibly benefited from the particularly high amount of fine roots in the B. sterilis samples; (ii) densities of Gastropoda and predatory beetles were highest in the 7–9 yr old fallows indicating that predators may have benefited from the increased availability of their prey in the medium stage of grassland succession; (iii) focusing on the results of the CCAs (2008, 2009), the water content had the strongest influence of the measured soil parameters on the structure of the soil macrofauna assemblages.

Diversity and abundance of macro‐invertebrates on abandoned cattle kraals in a semi‐arid savanna

“…RDA results for belowground macro‐invertebrates indicated that the Myriapods ( S. morsitans ), Coleopterans (Pachlister caffer ), and Isopterans ( H. mossambicus ) benefited most from high concentration of limiting soil nutrients (N, P, K, and C) on abandoned kraals. Similar findings have been recorded on nutrient‐rich areas by others (Doblas‐Miranda et al., ; Riggins et al., ; Salamon et al., ; Wu, Zhang, & Wang, ). Soils rich in N, P, K, and C are associated with high microbial biomass (Lavelle, ) which could have directly or indirectly attracted these species.…”

“…Soils rich in N, P, K, and C are associated with high microbial biomass (Lavelle, ) which could have directly or indirectly attracted these species. Dung and carrion that is commonly found on abandoned kraals (Riginos et al., ) could have attracted a wide variety of coprophagous and necrophagous species, for instance the Coleopterans (Salamon et al., ). On the other hand, abandoned kraals enhance the microclimate for a variety of soil and litter dwellers through good nutrient supply for plant growth (Muchiru et al., ) and ultimately improved the quality and quantity of litter (Mathieu et al., ).…”

“…This can be accounted for by the generalist feeding behavior and habitat preference (relatively unresponsive to small changes in resource quality) by aboveground invertebrates (Laossi et al, 2008). -Miranda et al, 2009;Riggins et al, 2009;Salamon et al, 2011;Wu, Zhang, & Wang, 2015). Soils rich in N, P, K, and C are associated with high microbial biomass (Lavelle, 1997) which could have directly or indirectly attracted these species.…”

Influence of 90-year potato and winter rye monocultures under different fertilisation on soil mites

“…Wissuwa et al (2013) and Zhu and Zhu (2015) found a significant positive correlation between soil organic matter content and Oribatida abundance. Bedano and Ruf (2007), Salamon et al (2011) as well as Wissuwa and Salamon (2012) reported a significant influence of soil organic matter on Gamasida density. The relationship between Gamasida and soil organic matter is indirect.…”

The effects of conventional and organic cropping systems on food and reproductive success of Song Sparrows in eastern Ontario farmland

“…Diverse crop rotations, together with absence of herbicide, often increase biomass of soil organisms (bacteria, fungi and micro and macro invertebrates, Alteri 1999), which can support larger populations of surface-active invertebrates captured in pitfall traps (e.g. Salamon et al 2011). Use of manure in place of synthetic fertilizers will enhance this relationship (Alteri 1999), but I do not have data on long-term fertilizer use in my study fields.…”