Soil Macroinvertebrate Response to Paddy Rice Farming Pathways in Mpologoma Catchment, Uganda

Abstract

Agricultural practices play a major role in influencing soil fauna abundance and diversity. Interest in these practices has increased owing to the growing need for sustainable agricultural systems in this era of increasing agricultural intensification. In this study, two paddy rice farming pathways (smallholder and large-scale commercial) and an adjacent natural wetland in Mpologoma catchment were studied to determine the response of soil macroinvertebrates to paddy rice farming pathways. Eighteen macroinvertebrate taxa were observed, some of which were not the usual soil taxa (Hirudinea, Decapoda, Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, and Odonata). SIMPER analysis showed that Oligochaeta, Gastropoda, and Coleoptera were the major taxa responsible for dissimilarity among sites. Macroinvertebrate richness and diversity also varied among sites. Some taxa showed habitat exclusivity: Diptera, Odonata, and Trichoptera were exclusive to both rice paddies; Decapoda, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, and Blattodea to natural wetland; Diplura and Ephemeroptera were exclusive to large-scale commercial paddies. NMDS ordination showed that macroinvertebrate distribution among sites was strongly correlated with soil pH and calcium and moderately correlated with phosphorus. These results indicate that wetland conversion to rice paddies could affect macroinvertebrate richness and diversity and underscore the importance of soil environment in influencing the macroinvertebrate community in rice paddies.

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

“…, the abundance of SMF communities across different AFPs varied signi cantly (Table 4). the difference in SMF abundance is attributed to the variation land management conditions (Bunyangha et al, 2022, Ayuke et al, 2011, Barrios, 2007. The SMF abundance counted in the present study as were comparable with the previous study (Bufebo et al, 2021), who obtained 332 SMF in southern Ethiopia, 514 SMF in Kenya (Omondi et al).…”

“…This may be the soil disturbance by agricultural activities and low vegetation diversity could lead to poor SMF species diversity (Bufebo et al, 2021). On the other hand, this study contradicted the research nding that SMF richness and diversity increased after the conversion of natural wetland to cultivated elds (Bunyangha et al, 2022). The difference might be the land management practices and the type of residue inputs applied to the soil.…”

Preferred Attributes for Sustainable Wetland Management in Mpologoma Catchment, Uganda: A Discrete Choice Experiment

“…Mpologoma catchment is a major food basket for Uganda, largely through paddy rice production [70]. Lately, agricultural encroachment on the catchment's wetlands has increased [20], affecting soil biodiversity [71] and bird and reptile species [72]. Increased uncontrolled conversion of wetlands into farmlands deprives the community of other ecosystem services that wetlands provide such as flood protection.…”

Cropping Systems and Agronomic Management Practices of Field Crops

“…The aim of the study by Larkin et al [31] was to examine four different potato cropping systems designed to address specific management goals (soil conservation, soil improvement, disease suppression, and a status quo standard rotation) for potato crop growth and yield characteristics under both irrigated and rainfed conditions in Maine (USA). Bunyangha et al [32], comparing two paddy rice farming pathways (smallholder and large-scale commercial) and an adjacent natural wetland in the Mpologoma catchment (Uganda), highlighted that large-scale commercial paddies not only had higher richness and diversity than natural wetland and smallholder paddies, but also underscored the role of soil in influencing the macroinvertebrate community in rice paddies. In light of the production increase in quinoa worldwide (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.…”