Macrofauna invertebrada do solo sob diferentes sistemas de produção em Latossolo da Região do Cerrado

O objetivo deste trabalho foi quantificar a densidade e diversidade de grupos da comunidade de macrofauna invertebrada do solo sob diferentes sistemas de produção, bem como analisar a similaridade entre os sistemas avaliados. O trabalho foi conduzido no Município de Dourados, MS, em Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico típico, sob os seguintes sistemas: sistema convencional (SC), sistema plantio direto (SPD), sistema integração lavoura/pecuária (SILP), pastagem contínua (PC) e vegetação nativa. As amostragens foram realizadas em três safras de verão e de inverno. Os valores de densidade total da comunidade de macrofauna invertebrada de solo, nos sistemas SPD, SILP e PC, foram similares, no entanto, o SPD apresentou a maior diversidade de grupos. Na safra de verão, observou-se similaridade entre os sistemas SPD e SILP e entre o SC e PC; e na safra de inverno, a similaridade foi entre os sistemas SPD, SILP e PC.

Árvores fixadoras de nitrogênio e macrofauna do solo em pastagem de híbrido de Digitaria

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de três leguminosas arbóreas sobre a densidade e a diversidade de macrofauna de um Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo, de baixa fertilidade natural. Duas espécies fixadoras de nitrogênio atmosférico, a orelha-de-negro (Enterolobium contortisiliquum) e o jacarandá-da-baía (Dalbergia nigra), e uma não-fixadora, o angico-canjiquinha (Peltophorum dubium), foram consorciadas em pastagem de capim survenola (híbrido interespecífico entre Digitaria setivalva e Digitaria valida), tendo por testemunha pasto a pleno sol. Formicidae foi o grupo mais abundante em todos os tratamentos, sendo seguido por Oligochaeta, com 47% nos tratamentos com leguminosas e 23% no pasto a pleno sol. Os maiores valores em diversidade de fauna foram obtidos nas amostragens sob as copas das leguminosas fixadoras de N2. A análise multivariada de agrupamento mostrou que o consórcio formado com orelha-de-negro apresentou grupos de fauna bastante semelhantes ao do consórcio formado com jacarandá-da-baía. De acordo com a análise multivariada de correspondência, as leguminosas arbóreas contribuíram para aumentar a densidade de alguns grupos de fauna, principalmente Oligochaeta, Coleoptera, Araneae e Formicidae.

Macrofauna invertebrada edáfica em cultivo de mandioca sob sistemas de cobertura do solo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do cultivo da mandioca em diferentes sistemas de cobertura do solo na densidade e diversidade da comunidade da macrofauna de invertebrados edáfica. O trabalho foi conduzido no Município de Glória de Dourados, MS, num Argissolo Vermelho, sob sistema convencional (SC), plantio direto sobre palhada de mucuna (PDMu), sorgo (PDSo) e milheto (PDMi), além de sistema com vegetação nativa (VN), como referencial para comparação. As avaliações foram realizadas em quatro épocas distintas: abril/2003 (antes do plantio), novembro/2003 (6 meses após o plantio), abril/2004 (11 meses após o plantio) e novembro/2004 (18 meses após o plantio). Houve efeito da interação entre os sistemas avaliados e as épocas de amostragens sobre a densidade, riqueza e diversidade da macrofauna invertebrada do solo. Entre os grupos da macrofauna invertebrada do solo, cupins, formigas e coleópteros (imaturo e adulto) foram predominantes no ambiente estudado. O uso de plantas de cobertura no pré-cultivo de mandioca no sistema plantio direto proporcionou condições para a recomposição da comunidade de macrofauna invertebrada do solo, o que indica que as espécies utilizadas, mucuna, sorgo e milheto, representam alternativas promissoras para melhor manejo dessa cultura.

Macrofauna edáfica associada a plantas de cobertura em plantio direto em um Latossolo Vermelho do Cerrado

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a macrofauna edáfica e avaliar o efeito de plantas de cobertura em plantio direto, nos principais grupos da macrofauna do solo, em duas épocas de avaliação em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, com oito tratamentos (plantas de cobertura) e quatro repetições. As plantas de cobertura: Crotalaria juncea, guandu-anão (Cajanus cajan), Stylosanthes guianensis, Brachiaria brizantha, B. brizantha consorciada com milho (Zea mays), milheto (Pennisetum glaucum), mombaça (Panicum maximum) e Sorghum bicolor foram cultivadas de novembro a abril. Em setembro de cada ano, foi realizado o plantio de feijão, em cultivo irrigado por pivô central. A área útil em cada parcela foi de 60 m². Amostras de solo na forma de monólitos (25x25 cm) foram retiradas aleatoriamente em cada parcela, para contagem da macrofauna, às profundidades de 0-10 cm e 10-20 cm, em abril e em setembro de 2005. Os grupos taxonômicos, identificados em ordem decrescente de densidade relativa, são: Formicidae, Oligochaeta, Dermaptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Miriapoda, Isoptera, Araneae, Lepidoptera, Blattodea e larvas de Diptera. Crotalaria juncea apresentou maior densidade de macrofauna, seguida por B. Brizantha, B. Brizantha consorciada com milho, Sorghum bicolor, Stylosanthes guianensis, Cajanus Cajans, Pennisetum Glaucum e Panicum maximum. O uso das plantas de cobertura, associado à irrigação na avaliação de setembro, favorece a colonização do solo pela macrofauna.

Relationship between macrofauna, mineralogy and exchangeable calcium and magnesium in Cerrado Oxisols under pasture

The objective of this work was to assess the relationship between macrofauna, mineralogy and exchangeable calcium and magnesium in Cerrado Oxisols under pasture. Twelve collection points were chosen in the Distrito Federal and in Formosa municipality, Goiás state, Brazil, representing four soil groups with varied levels of calcium + magnesium and kaolinite/(kaolinite + gibbsite) ratios. Soil macrofauna was collected in triplicate at each collection point, and identified at the level of taxonomic groups. Macrofauna density showed correlation with contents of kaolinite, gibbsite and exchangeable Ca + Mg in the soils. Mineralogy and exchangeable Ca + Mg had significant effects on taxonomic groups and relative density of soil macrofauna. The termites (Isoptera) were more abundant in soils with low exchangeable Ca + Mg; earthworms (Oligochaeta), in soils with high levels of kaolinite; and Hemiptera and Coleoptera larvae were more abundant in gibbsitic soils with higher contents of total carbon.

Soil macrofauna under integrated crop-livestock systems in a Brazilian Cerrado Ferralsol

The objective of this work was to assess the effects of integrated crop-livestock systems, associated with two tillage and two fertilization regimes, on the abundance and diversity of the soil macrofauna. Four different management systems were studied: continuous pasture (mixed grass); continuous crop; two crop-livestock rotations (crop/pasture and pasture/crop); and native Cerrado as a control. Macrofauna was sampled using a modified Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility method, and all individuals were counted and identified at the morphospecies level for each plot. A total of 194 morphospecies were found, distributed among 30 groups, and the most representative in decreasing order of density were: Isoptera, Coleoptera larvae, Formicidae, Oligochaeta, Coleoptera adult, Diplopoda, Hemiptera, Diptera larvae, Arachnida, Chilopoda, Lepidoptera, Gasteropoda, Blattodea and Orthoptera. Soil management systems and tillage regimes affected the structure of soil macrofauna, and integrated crop-livestock systems, associated with no-tillage, especially with grass/legume species associations, had more favorable conditions for the development of "soil engineers" compared with continuous pasture or arable crops. Soil macrofauna density and diversity, assessed at morphospecies level, are effective data to measure the impact of land use in Cerrado soils.

Towards an ecological index for tropical soil quality based on soil macrofauna

The objective of this work was to construct a simple index based on the presence/absence of different groups of soil macrofauna to determine the ecological quality of soils. The index was tested with data from 20 sites in South and Central Tabasco, Mexico, and a positive relation between the model and the field observations was detected. The index showed that diverse agroforestry systems had the highest soil quality index (1.00), and monocrops without trees, such as pineapple, showed the lowest soil quality index (0.08). Further research is required to improve this model for natural systems that have very low earthworm biomass (<10 g m-2) and a high number of earthworm species (5-7), as it is in the tropical rain forest, whose soil quality index was medium (0.5). The application of this index will require an illustrated guide for its users. Further studies are required in order to test the use of this index by farmers.

Relação entre macrofauna edáfica e atributos químicos do solo em diferentes agroecossistemas

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do uso do solo sobre a densidade e a diversidade da macrofauna invertebrada, bem como a relação dessa com atributos químicos do solo em diferentes agroecossistemas. Foram estudados cinco agroecossistemas: sistema ecológico com três anos de adoção (SE3), sistemas agroflorestais com seis (SAF6) e dez (SAF10) anos de adoção; agricultura de corte e queima (ACQ), e floresta nativa (FN). Em cada sistema, foram coletadas aleatoriamente cinco amostras solo, em forma de blocos (25x25 cm), na profundidade de 10 cm, nas épocas seca (outubro, 2006) e chuvosa (maio, 2007). A relação entre os atributos químicos e a macrofauna edáfica, nos diferentes sistemas de uso do solo, foi determinada por meio da análise da coinércia. Maior abundância da macrofauna foi observada na época chuvosa. Os sistemas SE3, SAF6 e SAF10 apresentaram maior riqueza de espécies e índices de Shannon e Pielou, independentemente da época de coleta. O manejo agroflorestal favoreceu a ocorrência de "engenheiros do ecossistema". Os sistemas agroflorestais propiciam melhores características químicas do solo e aumentos na abundância e riqueza da macrofauna invertebrada do solo.

Meso e macrofauna de solo cultivado com milho e irrigado com água residuária da suinocultura

RESUMO A utilização da fauna edáfica como bioindicadora de alterações antrópicas e ambientais vem crescendo nos últimos anos. No entanto, ainda são poucos os estudos em longo prazo que relacionam esses organismos com aplicação de resíduos orgânicos no solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, em dois ciclos da cultura do milho, os efeitos da aplicação de diferentes doses e tipos de águas residuárias da suinocultura (ARS) combinadas ou não com adubação mineral sobre a meso e a macrofauna de solo. Quatro doses (0; 100; 200 e 300 m3ha-1) de ARS, tratada em biodigestor no primeiro ano de estudo e bruta no segundo ano, associadas ou não com adubação mineral, foram aplicadas em dois ciclos da cultura de milho, totalizando 24 parcelas experimentais, sendo 12 com utilização de adubação mineral. Armadilhas de queda foram instaladas em cada uma das parcelas para amostrar a fauna edáfica, sendo os resultados encontrados avaliados por técnicas de estatística multivariada (NMS e Per-MANOVA). A adição de ARS, tanto bruta quanto tratada em biodigestor e de adubação mineral, não influenciou a fauna de solo. Os parâmetros químicos do solo diferenciaram a meso e a macrofauna edáfica somente entre os anos.

Evaluating the efficiency of sampling methods in assessing soil macrofauna communities in arable systems

The soil fauna is often a neglected group in many large-scale studies of farmland biodiversity due to difficulties in extracting organisms efficiently from the soil. This study assesses the relative efficiency of the simple and cheap sampling method of handsorting against Berlese-Tullgren funnel and Winkler apparatus extraction. Soil cores were taken from grassy arable field margins and wheat fields in Cambridgeshire, UK, and the efficiencies of the three methods in assessing the abundances and species densities of soil macroinver-tebrates were compared. Handsorting in most cases was as efficient at extracting the majority of the soil macrofauna as the Berlese-Tullgren funnel and Winkler bag methods, although it underestimated the species densities of the woodlice and adult beetles. There were no obvious biases among the three methods for the particular vegetation types sampled and no significant differences in the size distributions of the earthworms and beetles. Proportionally fewer damaged earthworms were recorded in larger (25 x 25 cm) soil cores when compared with smaller ones (15 x 15 cm). Handsorting has many benefits, including targeted extraction, minimum disturbance to the habitat and shorter sampling periods and may be the most appropriate method for studies of farmland biodiversity when a high number of soil cores need to be sampled. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Can arable field margins be managed to enhance their biodiversity, conservation and functional value for soil macrofauna?

1. The establishment of grassy strips at the margins of arable fields is an agri-environment scheme that aims to provide resources for native flora and fauna and thus increase farmland biodiversity. These margins can be managed to target certain groups, such as farmland birds and pollinators, but the impact of such management on the soil fauna has been poorly studied. This study assessed the effect of seed mix and management on the biodiversity, conservation and functional value of field margins for soil macrofauna. 2. Experimental margin plots were established in 2001 in a winter wheat field in Cambridgeshire, UK, using a factorial design of three seed mixes and three management practices [spring cut, herbicide application and soil disturbance (scarification)]. In spring and autumn 2005, soil cores taken from the margin plots and the crop were hand-sorted for soil macrofauna. The Lumbricidae, Isopoda, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Carabidae and Staphylinidae were identified to species and classified according to feeding type. 3. Diversity in the field margins was generally higher than in the crop, with the Lumbricidae, Isopoda and Coleoptera having significantly more species and/or higher abundances in the margins. Within the margins, management had a significant effect on the soil macrofauna, with scarified plots containing lower abundances and fewer species of Isopods. The species composition of the scarified plots was similar to that of the crop. 4. Scarification also reduced soil- and litter-feeder abundances and predator species densities, although populations appeared to recover by the autumn, probably as a result of dispersal from neighbouring plots and boundary features. The implications of the responses of these feeding groups for ecosystem services are discussed. 5. Synthesis and applications. This study shows that the management of agri-environment schemes can significantly influence their value for soil macrofauna. In order to encourage the litter-dwelling invertebrates that tend to be missing from arable systems, agri-environment schemes should aim to minimize soil cultivation and develop a substantial surface litter layer. However, this may conflict with other aims of these schemes, such as enhancing floristic and pollinator diversity.

EFFECT OF COLD FRONTS ON THE BENTHIC MACROFAUNA OF EXPOSED SANDY BEACHES WITH CONTRASTING MORPHODYNAMICS

The aim of this study was to determine the short-term environmental changes caused by the simultaneous passage of a high energy event on two sandy beaches with different morphodynamic states and their influence on the richness, abundance and distribution of the benthic macrofauna. Two microtidal exposed sandy beaches with contrasting morphodynamics were simultaneously sampled before, during and after the passage of two cold fronts in Santa Catarina. The reflective beach showed a higher susceptibility to the increase in wave energy produced by the passage of cold fronts and was characterized by rapid and intense erosive processes in addition to a capacity for rapid restoration of the beach profile. As regards the dissipative beach, erosive processes operated more slowly and progressively, and it was characterized further by a reduced capacity for the recovery of its sub-aerial profile. Although the intensity of the environmental changes was distinct as between the morphodynamic extremes, changes in the composition, richness and abundance of macrobenthos induced by cold fronts were not evident for either of the beaches studied. On the other hand, alterations in the distribution pattern of the macrofauna were observed on the two beaches and were related to variations in sea level, position of the swash zone and moisture gradient, suggesting that short-term accommodations in the spatial structure of the macrobenthos occur in response to changes in environmental conditions in accordance with the temporal dynamics characteristic of each morphodynamic state.

Efeitos das variáveis ambientais locais sobre a abundância, a riqueza e a biomassa da macrofauna de solo em um ecossistema semiárido no estado do rio grande do norte, nordeste do brasil

The soil macrofauna is influenced to several biotic and abiotic environmental factors, from changes in the physical environment to a variety of interactions among the species involved, affecting the patterns of biodiversity of soil fauna. The power and specificity of the mechanisms that act on soil organisms vary greatly depending on environmental conditions at different scales of space and time. The Caatinga has great spatial heterogeneity of vegetation, climate and soil, so the soil macrofauna would follow this local spatial variation in the environment? This study aimed to investigate the effects of local environmental variables on biological parameters (taxa richness, total abundance and biomass) of soil macrofauna in a fragment of caatinga in João Câmara, Rio Grande Norte, Northeast Brazil. The study was conducted in the Cauaçu farm, where a grid of 2000m x 500m was drawn, and later, 30 sampling points were randomly selected. The methodology used to collect the macrofauna was the TSBF method. We tested the effects of 10 environmental variables on macrofauna across the plots and across the layers of soil. The hypothesis that macrofauna soil responds to changes in the environment was not supported throughout the plots, but was confirmed to soil layers. The soil macrofauna shows a pattern of concentration in the surface layer and decreases considerably in the deeper layers. This pattern had significant and positive relationship with the aerial plant biomass and fine root stock. The aerial plant biomass releases plant necromass that accumulates in the surface layer, providing an important source of resource and shelter for soil macrofauna, explaining their greater abundance in this layer. The roots are used as a means for the arrival of nutrients to the soil from the primary production, thus a greater amount of root conditions higher food intake for macrofauna, especially the herbivores

Macrofauna de ambientes não consolidados adjacentes à recifes da área de proteção ambiental dos recifes de corais Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

This study aimed to characterize, for the first time, the benthic invertebrates that inhabit the region of soft bottoms adjacent to the APARC reefs in order to situate them as an important component of infralittoral coastal areas of Northeast Brazil. Soft bottoms areas of APARC corresponds to infralittoral zones vegetated by seagrass Halodule wrightii and unvegetated infralittoral zones, both subjected to substantial hydrodynamic stress. Through scuba diving, biological and sedimentary samples of both habitats were analyzed, with a cylindrical sampler. We identified 6160 individuals belonging to 16 groups and 224 species. The most abundant macrofaunal group was Polychaeta (43%), followed by Mollusca (25%) and Crustacea (14%), what was expected for these environments. In the first chapter, regarding vegetated areas, we tested three hypotheses: the existence of differences in the faunal structure associated with H. wrightii banks submitted to different hydrodynamic conditions; the occurrence of minor temporal variations on the associated macrofauna of banks protected from hydrodynamic stress; and if the diversity of macrofauna is affected by both benthophagous predators and H. wrightii biomass. It was observed that macrofauna associated at the Exposed bank showed differences in structure when comparing the Protected bank, the granulometry of the sediments, that co-varies with the hydrodynamism, was the cause of these variations. The results also pointed to a lower temporal variation in the macrofaunal structure on the Protected bank and a negative relation between macrofaunal and benthophagous fish abundance. At the Exposed bank, a greater faunal diversity was observed, probably due to the higher seagrass biomass. The second chapter compares the vegetated and non-vegetated areas in order to test the hypothesis that due to greater seasonal stability in tropical environments, seagrass structure would act to distinguish the vegetated and non-vegetated areas macrofauna, over time. It was also expected that depositivores were the most representative invertebrates on non-vegetated environments, on the assumption that the seagrass bank would work as a source of debris to adjacent areas, enriching them. Considering all sampling periods, the total macrofauna abundance and diversity were higher in vegetated areas, when compared to non-vegetated ones. Seasonally, the structural complexity provided by Halodule differentiated more clearly the fauna from vegetated and non-vegetated areas, but only at the climatic extremes, i.e. Dry season (extreme climatic stability, with low hydronamism variation) and Rainy season (great hydrodynamism variation and probably vegetated bank burial). Furthermore, the high organic matter levels measured in the sandy banks coincided with an outstanding trophic importance of deposit feeders, proving the debris-carrying hypothesis. The last chapter focused on the non-vegetated areas, where we tested that the hypothesis infaunal halo in tropical reefs depending on local granulometry. In this context, we also tested the hypothesis that benthophagous fish predation would have an effect on the low abundance of macrofaunal groups due to the high hydrographic stress, thus allowing other predatory groups to have greater importance in these environments. Proving the hypothesis, no spatial variation, both on abundance families neither on community structure, occur along distance of the edge reefs. However, we found that complex combinations of physical factors (grain size and organic matter levels originated from local hydronamic conditions) covary with the distance from the reefs and has stronger influence on macrofauna than considered biological factors, such as predation by benthophagous fishes. Based on the main results, this study shows that unconsolidated areas around APARC reefs are noteworthy from an ecological and conservational point of view, as evidenced by the biota-environment and organismal relations, never before described for these areas