Evaluation the impact of habitat quality on the soil fauna in Jajarm region

بوم شناسی کشاورزی

Article 6, Volume 2, Issue 4 - Serial Number 6, December 2010, Pages 617-626   

Document Type: Scientific - Research

DOI: 10.22067/jag.v2i4.8800

Authors

GhorbanAli Rassam^* ; Naser Latifi; Afshin Soltani; Behnam Kamkar

Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Crop Production, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Iran

Abstract

The effects of land use, crop type and crop management on soil fauna were investigated with survey of four habitats in Jajarm. The habitats included rangelands, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) fields and low-input and high-input of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields, each with four sample units. In each sample unit, the macrofauna collected with pitfall traps, sorted and counted in terms of family. The analysis of data conducted using of contrast analysis, analysis of similarities and principal component analysis (PCA). In rangelands the taxonomic richness, Simpson diversity index and abundance of macrofauna families tremendously were lower than agricultural habitats. These were attributed to low of plant diversity and pressure of livestock grazing. In alfalfa fields, increased abundance of beneficial macrofauna than wheat fields due to use not of chemical inputs, low disturbance and perennial of alfalfa. The crop management dad not has any significant impact on soil macrofauna. However, soil important macrofauna showed great tendency to occupancy in low-input wheat fields.

Keywords

Crop management; land use; Macrofauna; Simpson diversity index; Taxonomic richness; wheat

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