Crop systems’ influence on soil fauna community in the brazilian northeast

Abstract

Soil biotic and abiotic characteristics are influenced by crop system in semiarid environments. Crop systems which promote soil organic carbon content at high levels could positively promote soil fauna diversity and soil quality. Our aim with this study was to evaluate the effects of crop systems (No-tillage vs. Integrated crop-livestock-forestry system) on soil chemical properties, soil fauna composition, and soil quality in a Planossolo at semiarid environment from Brazilian Northeast. Combining protocols for soil chemical characterization and soil fauna extraction and identification, we observed that both crop systems studies increased soil organic carbon and available P when compared to control treatment. We found 11 orders plus 3 larvae groups (Larvae of Coleoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera) from soil fauna organisms, however, only Araneae, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera were significantly affected (p < 0.01) by crop systems. We also observed that soil quality index in all crop systems studies was higher than in the control treatment, and it corroborates with the follow hypothesis that crop system which consider habitat and energy maintenance for soil fauna contributes to a diverse soil food web establishment that favours soil nutrient cycling. Our results highlight the importance to consider crop systems which promotes soil organic carbon and ideal condition into soil ecosystem to sustain a diverse and function soil fauna community in semiarid conditions.

Keywords:
Caatinga; Integrated crop-livestock-forestry system; Litter deposition; No-tillage system