scholarly journals Earthworm assemblages in different intensity of agricultural uses and their relation to edaphic variables

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liliana B Falco ◽  
Rosana V Sandler ◽  
Fernando R Momo ◽  
César A Di Ciocco ◽  
Leonardo A Saravia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzymatic Activity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Cattle Grazing ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Assemblage Structure ◽  
Agricultural System ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
Aporrectodea Caliginosa

The objective of this study was to relate earthworm assemblage structure with three different soil use intensities, and to indentify the physical, chemical, and microbiological variables that are associated to the observed differences in earthworm assemblage structure between soils. Three soil uses were evaluated: 1- Fifty year old naturalized grasslands; 2- Cattle-grazing fields converted to feedlot within the two years before the start of this work, and 3- Fifty year old intensive agricultural fields. Three different sites for each soil use were evaluated from winter 2008 through summer 2011. Nine earthworm species were identified across all sampling sites. The sites shared five species: the native Microscolex dubius, and the introduced Aporrectodea caliginosa, A. rosea, Octalasion cyaneum, and O. lacteum, but they differed in their relative abundances according to the system. The results show that earthworm community structure is linked to and modulated by soil properties. Both, species abundance and diversity showed significant differences depending on soil use intensity. A PCA analysis showed that species composition is closely related to the environmental variability. The ratio of native to exotic species was significantly lower in the intensive agricultural system when compared to the other two, lower disturbance Systems. Microscolex dubius was shown to be related to the naturalized grasslands and it was associated to Ca, pH, Mechanical Resistance, and to respiration. Aporrectodea caliginosa was related to high K levels, low enzymatic activity, slightly low pH, and low Ca, and appeared related to the highly disturbed environment. Eukerria stagnalis and Aporrectodea rosea, commonly found un the cattle-grazing system, were related to high soil humidity, low pH, low Ca and low enzymatic activity. These results show that earthworm assamblages can be good descriptors of different soil use intensities. In particular, Microscolex dubius, Aporrectodea caliginosa, and Aporrectodea rosea, showed different temporal patterns and species associations, due to the changes in soil properties attributable tos oil use intensity.

scholarly journals Earthworm assemblages in different intensity of agricultural uses and their relation to edaphic variables

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liliana B Falco ◽  
Rosana V Sandler ◽  
Fernando R Momo ◽  
César A Di Ciocco ◽  
Leonardo A Saravia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzymatic Activity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Cattle Grazing ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Assemblage Structure ◽  
Agricultural System ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
Aporrectodea Caliginosa

The objective of this study was to relate earthworm assemblage structure with three different soil use intensities, and to indentify the physical, chemical, and microbiological variables that are associated to the observed differences in earthworm assemblage structure between soils. Three soil uses were evaluated: 1- Fifty year old naturalized grasslands; 2- Cattle-grazing fields converted to feedlot within the two years before the start of this work, and 3- Fifty year old intensive agricultural fields. Three different sites for each soil use were evaluated from winter 2008 through summer 2011. Nine earthworm species were identified across all sampling sites. The sites shared five species: the native Microscolex dubius, and the introduced Aporrectodea caliginosa, A. rosea, Octalasion cyaneum, and O. lacteum, but they differed in their relative abundances according to the system. The results show that earthworm community structure is linked to and modulated by soil properties. Both, species abundance and diversity showed significant differences depending on soil use intensity. A PCA analysis showed that species composition is closely related to the environmental variability. The ratio of native to exotic species was significantly lower in the intensive agricultural system when compared to the other two, lower disturbance Systems. Microscolex dubius was shown to be related to the naturalized grasslands and it was associated to Ca, pH, Mechanical Resistance, and to respiration. Aporrectodea caliginosa was related to high K levels, low enzymatic activity, slightly low pH, and low Ca, and appeared related to the highly disturbed environment. Eukerria stagnalis and Aporrectodea rosea, commonly found un the cattle-grazing system, were related to high soil humidity, low pH, low Ca and low enzymatic activity. These results show that earthworm assamblages can be good descriptors of different soil use intensities. In particular, Microscolex dubius, Aporrectodea caliginosa, and Aporrectodea rosea, showed different temporal patterns and species associations, due to the changes in soil properties attributable tos oil use intensity.

scholarly journals Effect of Soil Diversity on Forest Plant Species Abundance: A Case Study from Central-European Highlands

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 534
Author(s):  
Pavel Samec ◽  
Jiří Volánek ◽  
Miloš Kučera ◽  
Pavel Cudlín
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Plant Distribution ◽  
Soil Diversity ◽  
Abiotic Environment ◽  
Soil Group ◽  
Biogeographical Regions ◽  
Forest Distribution

Plant distribution is most closely associated with the abiotic environment. The abiotic environment affects plant species’ abundancy unevenly. The asymmetry is further deviated by human interventions. Contrarily, soil properties preserve environmental influences from the anthropogenic perturbations. The study examined the supra-regional similarities of soil effects on plant species’ abundance in temperate forests to determine: (i) spatial relationships between soil property and forest-plant diversity among geographical regions; (ii) whether the spatial dependencies among compared forest-diversity components are influenced by natural forest representation. The spatial dependence was assessed using geographically weighted regression (GWR) of soil properties and plant species abundance from forest stands among 91 biogeographical regions in the Czech Republic (Central Europe). Regional soil properties and plant species abundance were acquired from 7550 national forest inventory plots positioned in a 4 × 4 km grid. The effect of natural forests was assessed using linear regression between the sums of squared GWR residues and protected forest distribution in the regions. Total diversity of forest plants is significantly dependent on soil-group representation. The soil-group effect is more significant than that of bedrock bodies, most of all in biogeographical regions with protected forest representation >50%. Effects of soil chemical properties were not affected by protected forest distribution. Spatial dependency analysis separated biogeographical regions of optimal forest plant diversity from those where inadequate forest-ecosystem diversity should be increased alongside soil diversity.

Long-term grazing effects on grassland soil properties in southern British Columbia

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 685-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. W. Evans ◽  
M. Krzic ◽  
K. Broersma ◽  
D. J. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Grassland Soil ◽  
Grazing Effects

Evans, C. R. W., Krzic, M., Broersma, K. and Thompson, D. J. 2012. Long-term grazing effects on grassland soil properties in southern British Columbia. Can. J. Soil Sci. 92: 685–693. Although grazing effects on soil properties have been evaluated on various temperate grasslands, no study has dealt with these effects in the southern interior of British Columbia. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of spring versus fall season grazing as well as grazing [at a moderate rate of 0.6 animal unit months (AUM) ha−1] versus non-grazing by beef cattle on selected soil properties. Effects were determined 20 and 30 yr after the establishment of the field experiment. Soil properties were determined for the 0- to 7.5-cm, 7.5- to 15-cm, and 15- to 30-cm depths. In comparison with fall grazing, spring grazing had greater soil bulk density, greater mechanical resistance within the top 15 cm of the soil profile, higher pH, and lower polysaccharides. This was true for both 20 and 30 yr of treatment. Grazing effects on aggregate stability were observed only after 30 yr with spring grazing leading to a more stable structure with a mean weight diameter (MWD) of 1.5 mm and 32% and 10% of aggregates in the 2- to 6-mm and 1- to 2-mm size fractions, respectively, compared with a MWD of 1.0 mm and 20% and 6% under fall grazing. Greater soil bulk density, mechanical resistance, and pH were observed under the grazed treatment relative to the control without grazing, but as we used a moderate stocking rate the impacts were not as great as in previous studies, which used heavy stocking rates. Our findings show that long-term grazing at a moderate stocking rate of 0.6 AUM ha−1did not have critical detrimental effects on soil properties as some land managers and ranchers have suggested.

Seasonality and habitat influence on bat assemblage structure in an urban Atlantic Forest remnant from Southeastern Brazil

Mammalia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Leonan M. Novaes ◽  
Renan F. Souza ◽  
Saulo Felix ◽  
André C. Siqueira ◽  
Rafael S. Laurindo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Capture Rate ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Assemblage Structure ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Feeding Guilds ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Historical Processes ◽  
Forest Remnant ◽  
Ombrophilous Forest

AbstractThe Brazilian Atlantic Forest is a severely threatened biodiversity hotspot and many remnants exist only as fragments. In order to understand how bat assemblage structure within a forest fragment surrounded by an urban matrix might respond to seasonality and different habitats, we sampled bats over 39 nights in the forest fragment of Gericinó-Mendanha Massif, Rio de Janeiro State. From February 2006 to January 2010, we captured 874 bats, belonging to 25 species and eight different feeding guilds. Frugivorous species were the most abundant, representing 83.33% of captures, and the gleaning insectivores were the least abundant (1.47%). We did not find changes in bat species composition between seasons, although capture rate was higher in the rainy season. However, we did find significant differences in species abundance between seasons. The habitat influence did not significantly differentiate the assemblages, but species richness was higher in the mature ombrophilous forest. The community composition indicates that this conservation unit is an important remaining fragment for maintaining the diversity and richness of bats, although it is possible that historical processes of environmental exploitation have already resulted in a loss of species.

Relationship Between Soil Properties and the Growth of Legumes on Acid Wodjil Soils in Western Australia

1985 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Snowball ◽  
AD Robson
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Chloride Content ◽  
Aluminium Toxicity ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Surface Soil Layer ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between vegetation and soil properties in part of the eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia was investigated. Soil in the Burracoppin Reserve supporting wodjil vegetation (Acacia beauverdiana, A. signata and Allocasuarina corniculata) had a very low pH in the 4.3-5.0 cm surface soil layer, a very low level of mineralizable N and a low chloride content compared to soils supporting Eucalyptus spp. All soils were low in exchangeable potassium and bicarbonate-extractable phosphorus. Acacia signata and Trifolium subterraneum were grown on a soil from Merredin supporting wodjil vegetation. Neither species responded markedly to lime when grown on the surface soil (0-5 cm). However, growth of both species on the subsoil (30-40 cm) was enhanced with the addition of lime. Increased growth of A. signata was probably associated with the alleviation of manganese toxicity which had been induced in this experiment. By contrast, increased growth of T. subterraneum was probably associated with the alleviation of aluminium toxicity.

scholarly journals Grazing Effects on Day Butterflies in a Mediterranean Woodland Ecosystem in Northern Israel

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gad Ish Am ◽  
Talia Oron
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Cattle Grazing ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Species Similarity ◽  
Mediterranean Woodland

Abstract The effects of cattle grazing on biodiversity in Mediterranean woodlands are yet unknown. To assess these effects on diurnal butterflies, we conducted daytime surveys in the Mt. Meron nature reserve (northern Israel) in two habitats over two different years. In each habitat we chose one site that was grazed by cattle and, as a control, a similar but ungrazed site. Belt transects (5m wide), divided for 100m replications, were surveyed five times on ridges in 2015 (11 replications, 538 butterflies, 25 species), and nine times in valleys in 2016 (12 replications, 3,944 butterflies, 38 species). In both habitats, species similarity index between sites was high. Richness was higher in the ridge control and evenness was higher in the valley grazed site. In both habitats total abundance was ca. twofold higher in the control, and the abundance of woody affiliated butterflies was threefold higher in the control, probably due to overgrazing, which affects butterflies’ breeding niches. For batha polyphagous and oligophagous butterfly species, abundance was similar between the sites, and for a few of those, associated with increaser plants, it was even higher in the grazed sites. However, the batha monophagous species were significantly more abundant in the control. Monophagous and endangered species were found to be more sensitive to cattle grazing. We conclude that the current cattle grazing management in Mt. Meron reserve affects butterfly populations negatively. Therefore, we recommend more regulated grazing and early-season deferment precautions, along with designation of no-grazing areas in reserves.

scholarly journals Short Communication: Floristic composition and relationships between plant species abundance and soil properties in common hazel (Corylus avellana) mountainous forest of northern Iran

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1835-1841
Author(s):  
GHADER POURRAHMATI ◽  
ASADOLLAH MATAJI ◽  
HASSAN POURBABAEI ◽  
ALI SALEHI
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Short Communication ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Corylus Avellana ◽  
Herbaceous Species ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Total N

Pourrahmati G, Mataji A, Pourbabaei H, Salehi A. 2018. Short Communication: Floristic composition and relationships between plant species abundance and soil properties in common hazel (Corylus avellana) mountainous forest of northern Iran. Biodiversitas 19: 1835-1841. Mountainous forests are valuable terrestrial ecosystems because of their useful services for the human being. Here, we explored the floristic composition and the relationships between plant species abundance distribution and soil physical and chemical properties in common hazel (Corylus avellana L.) in the mountainous forest of northern Iran. Within the forest stand, 30 quadrats (20 m × 20 m and 1 m × 1 m for woody and herbaceous species, respectively) were selectively sampled along an altitudinal range from 1300 m to 1800 m a.s.l. to assess plant species composition and abundance, and soil samples were taken to perform chemical and physical analyses. The results showed that a total of 43 herbaceous and 15 woody species belonging to 23 and 8 families were identified. The abundance of herbaceous species was significantly correlated with soil properties (pH and total N). Furthermore, the abundance of woody species had a non-significant correlation with soil properties.

scholarly journals Increased signal to noise ratios within experimental field trials by regressing spatially distributed soil properties as principal components.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey C Berry ◽  
Mingsheng Qi ◽  
Balasaheb V Sonawane ◽  
Amy Sheflin ◽  
Asaph Cousins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Experimental System ◽  
Environmental Variation ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Spatially Distributed ◽  
Sorghum Genotypes

Environmental variability poses a major challenge to any field study. Researchers attempt to mitigate this challenge through replication. Thus, the ability to detect experimental signals is determined by the degree of replication and the amount of environmental variation, noise, within the experimental system. A major source of noise in field studies comes from the natural heterogeneity of soil properties which create micro-treatments throughout the field. To make matters worse, the variation within different soil properties is often non-randomly distributed across a field. We explore this challenge through a sorghum field trial dataset with accompanying plant, microbiome and soil property data. Diverse sorghum genotypes and two watering regimes were applied in a split-plot design. We describe a process of identifying, estimating, and controlling for the effects of spatially distributed soil properties on plant traits and microbial communities using minimal degrees of freedom. Importantly, this process provides a tool with which sources of environmental variation in field data can be identified and removed, improving our ability to resolve effects of interest and to quantify subtle phenotypes.

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