Response of Soil Macrofauna Community to Variation of Crop Type and anagement in Shirvan Region

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Prof,, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Shirvan College of Agricultural Sciences. Plant Production Department

2 Assistant Prof. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Shirvan College of Agricultural Sciences. Plant Production Department

3 Lecturer, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Shirvan College of Agricultural Sciences. Plant Production Department

Abstract

Soil macrofauna are important components of soil biodiversity. Three habitats of macrofauna were selected in alfalfa fields, low-input and high-input wheat fields to study the effect of crop type and management on soil macrofauna community in Shirvan region.  Six sample units were considered in each habitat. In each sample unit, the macrofauna collected in pitfall traps were sorted and counted in terms of family. Data were analyzed using contrast analysis, ANOSIN and PCA. The contrast analysis showed that Shannon index in alfalfa (SI: 2.11) was larger than wheat (SI: 1.88). The ANOSIN analysis revealed that the soil macrofauna communities of the two crops were different, since beneficial macrofauna such as spiders, ground beetles and earthworms were more abundant in the alfalfa field. Major reason for this abundance was lower soil disturbance and the perennial mode of growth of alfalfa. Although there was no significant difference between low-input and high-input management of wheat, different compositions of macrofauna were formed in the two managements. The greater tendency of the soil beneficial macrofauna to reside in low-input wheat fields was attributed to lack of herbicides application and low use of nitrogen in low-input management. Overall, it was concluded that improvement of soil macrofauna biodiversity required application of low-input management and inclusion of legumes in crop rotation.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Sol Biology
Volume 1, Issue 1
January 2013
Pages 25-33

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