Soil mesofauna under different soil tillage systems and nutrient sources

Abstract

The agricultural practices affect the soil fauna which has an important role in the soil such as
incorporation and decay of crop residues and to assist the action of microorganisms. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of soil tillage systems and nutrient sources on soil mesofauna abundance and diversity. This study was carried out in Campos Novos, SC, Brazil, after nine years of trials. The treatments were five arrangement of soil tillage (no till, reduced tillage, conventional tillage, conventional tillage with burned straw and
conventional tillage with removed straw) and five nutrient sources (poultry litter, liquid cattle manure, liquid swine manure, mineral fertilizers and control). Soil mesofauna was higher at soil management systems where straw was kept on the field which is related to food availability, but diversity was not affected. Nutrient sources did not affect
abundance and diversity of soil mesofauna at sampling time.