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Agronomy
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Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates
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Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2020) | Viewed by 35644

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Stefano Bocchi

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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, Milan, Italy
Interests: agroecology; farming system sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Francesca Orlando

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Policy (DESP), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, I-20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: organic farming; agroecology; partecipatory research and bottom-up innovation; biodiversity and environmental impacts assessments; monitoring of biodiversity of flora and soil microfauna; multiple-criteria sustainability assessments at different spatial scales; carbon and nitrogen cycle; modelling tools; cereal crops

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil fauna plays a key role in many soil functions, such as organic matter decomposition, humus formation, and nutrient element cycling, modifying soil structure and improving its fertility. In particular, invertebrates are considered a fundamental part in determining the suitability of soils for the sustainable production of healthy farming systems. These invertebrates include an enormous diversity of arthropods, nematodes, and earthworms. This fauna is subjected to agricultural activities with significant implications on it. Some management techniques may create crucial habitat changes that cause significant shifts in biodiversity, especially under the general tendency of achieving a high production, through high levels of intensification of agrotechniques.

It has been observed that the loss in ecosystem services related to soil invertebrates in the last few decades is as a result of the reduction in both the abundance and taxonomic diversity of soil faunal communities. Thus, the concerns about the sensibility of soil biota to the agricultural practices make it urgent to develop more sustainable farming strategies, like reducing agricultural intensification and the synthetic chemical inputs.

Prof. Stefano Bocchi
Dr. Francesca Orlando
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • soil health
  • sustainability
  • farming system

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3300 KiB  
Article
Soil Arthropod Responses in Agroecosystem: Implications of Different Management and Cropping Systems
by Cristina Menta, Federica Delia Conti, Carlos Lozano Fondón, Francesca Staffilani and Sara Remelli
Agronomy 2020, 10(7), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10070982 - 09 Jul 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4185
Abstract
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2014–2020) on soil management points to the combination of sustainable food production with environmental protection, reduction of CO2 emissions, and safeguarding of soil biodiversity. In this study, three farms (in the Emilia-Romagna region), managed with both [...] Read more.
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2014–2020) on soil management points to the combination of sustainable food production with environmental protection, reduction of CO2 emissions, and safeguarding of soil biodiversity. In this study, three farms (in the Emilia-Romagna region), managed with both conventional and conservation practices (the last ones with and without sub-irrigation systems), were monitored from 2014 to 2017 to highlight the impact of different crops and soil managements on soil arthropods, in terms of abundance, composition, and soil biological quality (applying QBS-ar index). To do this, linear mixed models were performed, whereas arthropods assemblages were studied through PERMANOVA and SIMPER analysis. Soil communities varied among farms, although most differences were found among crops depending on management practices. Nonetheless, conservation systems and a wider reduction in anthropogenic practices provided better conditions for soil fauna, enhancing QBS-ar. Moreover, arthropod groups responded to soil practices differently, highlighting their sensitivity to agricultural management. Community assemblages in corn and wheat differed between managements, mainly due to Acari and Collembola, respectively. In conservation management, wheat showed the overall greatest abundance of arthropods, owing to the great number of Acari, Collembola, and Hymenoptera, while the number of arthropod groups were generally higher in crop residues of forage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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16 pages, 2223 KiB  
Article
The Diversification and Intensification of Crop Rotations under No-Till Promote Earthworm Abundance and Biomass
by María Pía Rodríguez, Anahí Domínguez, Melisa Moreira Ferroni, Luis Gabriel Wall and José Camilo Bedano
Agronomy 2020, 10(7), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10070919 - 27 Jun 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2564
Abstract
The diversification and intensification of crop rotations (DICR) in no-till systems is a novel approach that aims to increase crop production, together with decreasing environmental impact. Our objective was to analyze the effect of different levels of DICR on the abundance, biomass, and [...] Read more.
The diversification and intensification of crop rotations (DICR) in no-till systems is a novel approach that aims to increase crop production, together with decreasing environmental impact. Our objective was to analyze the effect of different levels of DICR on the abundance, biomass, and species composition of earthworm communities in Argentinean Pampas. We studied three levels of DICR—typical rotation (TY), high intensification with grass (HG), and with legume (HL); along with three references—natural grassland (NG), pasture (PA), and an agricultural external reference (ER). The NG had the highest earthworm abundance. Among the DICR treatments, abundance and biomass were higher in HL than in HG and, in both, these were higher than in TY. The NG and PA had a distinctive taxonomic composition and higher species richness. Instead, the DICR treatments had a similar richness and species composition. Earthworm abundance and biomass were positively related to rotation intensity and legume proportion indices, carbon input, and particulate organic matter content. The application of DICR for four years, mainly with legumes, favors the development of earthworm populations. This means that a subtle change in management, as DICR, can have a positive impact on earthworms, and thus on earthworm-mediated ecosystem services, which are important for crop production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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9 pages, 2134 KiB  
Article
Management Intensification of Hay Meadows and Fruit Orchards Alters Soil Macro- Invertebrate Communities Differently
by Elia Guariento, Filippo Colla, Michael Steinwandter, Julia Plunger, Ulrike Tappeiner and Julia Seeber
Agronomy 2020, 10(6), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10060767 - 28 May 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2625
Abstract
Land-use changes and especially management intensification currently pose a major threat to biodiversity both on and beneath the soil surface. With a comparative approach, we investigated how management intensity in orchards and meadows influences soil macro-invertebrate communities in a North-Italian Alpine region. We [...] Read more.
Land-use changes and especially management intensification currently pose a major threat to biodiversity both on and beneath the soil surface. With a comparative approach, we investigated how management intensity in orchards and meadows influences soil macro-invertebrate communities in a North-Italian Alpine region. We compared soil fauna assemblies from traditional low-input sites with respective intensively managed ones. As expected, the taxonomical richness and diversity were lower in both intensive management types. Extensive management of both types revealed similar communities, while intensification led to substantial differences between management types. From these results, we conclude that intensification of agricultural practices severely alters the soil fauna community and biodiversity in general, however, the direction of these changes is governed by the management type. In our view, extensive management, traditional for mountain areas, favors soil fauna communities that have adapted over a long time and can thus be viewed as a sustainable reference condition for new production systems that consider the protection of soil diversity in order to conserve essential ecosystem functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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15 pages, 3230 KiB  
Article
Response of the Arthropod Community to Soil Characteristics and Management in the Franciacorta Viticultural Area (Lombardy, Italy)
by Isabella Ghiglieno, Anna Simonetto, Francesca Orlando, Pierluigi Donna, Marco Tonni, Leonardo Valenti and Gianni Gilioli
Agronomy 2020, 10(5), 740; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050740 - 21 May 2020
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4494
Abstract
Soil represents an important pool of biodiversity, hosting about a quarter of the living species on our planet. This soil richness has led to increasing interest in the structural and functional characteristics of its biodiversity. Studies of arthropod responses, in terms of abundance [...] Read more.
Soil represents an important pool of biodiversity, hosting about a quarter of the living species on our planet. This soil richness has led to increasing interest in the structural and functional characteristics of its biodiversity. Studies of arthropod responses, in terms of abundance and taxon richness, have increased in relation to their ecological value as bioindicators of environmental change. This research was carried out over the 2014–2018 period with the aim to better understand arthropod taxa responses in vineyard soils in Franciacorta (Lombardy, Italy). To determine the biological composition in terms of arthropod taxa presence, one hundred soil samples were analysed. Environmental characteristics, such as chemical composition, soil moisture and temperature, and soil management were characterized for each soil sample. A total of 19 taxa were identified; the NMDS model analysis and the cluster analysis divided them into five groups according to their co-occurrence patterns. Each group was related to certain abiotic conditions; of these, soil moisture, temperature and organic matter were shown to be significant. A decision tree analysis showed that a longer period since conversion from conventional to organic farming lead to a higher arthropod biodiversity defined as a higher number of taxa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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14 pages, 708 KiB  
Communication
Do Long-Term Continuous Cropping and Pesticides Affect Earthworm Communities?
by Kinga Treder, Magdalena Jastrzębska, Marta Katarzyna Kostrzewska and Przemysław Makowski
Agronomy 2020, 10(4), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10040586 - 20 Apr 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3235
Abstract
Earthworm species composition, the density of individuals, and their biomass were investigated in spring barley and faba bean fields in a long-term (52-year) experiment conducted at the Production and Experimental Station in Bałcyny, in north-eastern Poland (53°40′ N; 19°50′ E). Additionally, post-harvest residues [...] Read more.
Earthworm species composition, the density of individuals, and their biomass were investigated in spring barley and faba bean fields in a long-term (52-year) experiment conducted at the Production and Experimental Station in Bałcyny, in north-eastern Poland (53°40′ N; 19°50′ E). Additionally, post-harvest residues biomass, soil organic matter (SOM), and soil pH were recorded. The above traits were investigated using two experimental factors: I. cropping system—continuous cropping (CC) vs. crop rotation (CR) and II. pesticide plant protection: herbicide + fungicide (HF+) vs. no plant protection (HF−). A total of three species of Lumbricidae were found: Aporrectodea caliginosa (Sav.) in both crops, Aporrectodea rosea (Sav.) in spring barley, and Lumbricus terrestris (L.) in faba bean. The density and biomass of earthworms were unaffected by experimental treatments in spring barley fields, whereas in faba bean CC increased and HF+ decreased earthworm density and biomass in comparison with CR and HF− respectively. Total post-harvest residues in faba bean fields were higher under CC in relation to CR and under HF+ compared with HF− treatment in both crops. Compared to CR, CC increased soil pH in spring barley fields and decreased in faba bean fields. Experimental factors did not affect SOM. Earthworm density and biomass were positively correlated with SOM content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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16 pages, 1958 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Cover Crops on the Biodiversity and Abundance of Ground-Dwelling Arthropods in a Mediterranean Pear Orchard
by Luis de Pedro, Luis Gabriel Perera-Fernández, Elena López-Gallego, María Pérez-Marcos and Juan Antonio Sanchez
Agronomy 2020, 10(4), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10040580 - 18 Apr 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5530
Abstract
The intensification of agriculture has led to the reduction of the diversity of arthropods in agroecosystems, including that of ground-dwelling species. The aim of our work was to assess the effect of a sown cover crop on the diversity of ground-dwelling arthropods, including [...] Read more.
The intensification of agriculture has led to the reduction of the diversity of arthropods in agroecosystems, including that of ground-dwelling species. The aim of our work was to assess the effect of a sown cover crop on the diversity of ground-dwelling arthropods, including key predators for pest control in pear orchards. The trial was carried out in a pear orchard divided in three blocks; two treatments (cover-cropping and control) were implemented in each block. A seed mixture of 10 plant species was used in the plots with the sown cover. The densities of ground-dwelling arthropods were sampled using pitfall traps. The ground cover had a significant impact on the diversity and abundance of arthropods. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index was significantly higher for the cover than for the control plots. Several families of spiders (Linyphiidae, Lycosidae), beetles (Carabidae, Staphylinidae) and hymenopterans (Scelionidae) were significantly more abundant in the cover-sown plots. Ants and collembola had a significantly higher abundance in the control plots. Some of these groups arthropods (ants and spiders), are represented by species that may commute between ground and pear trees, having an impact on pest control. The use of cover crops is encouraged to enhance biodiversity in farmlands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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10 pages, 1136 KiB  
Communication
Phosphorus Fertilizers From Sewage Sludge Ash and Animal Blood Have No Effect on Earthworms
by Magdalena Jastrzębska, Marta K. Kostrzewska and Kinga Treder
Agronomy 2020, 10(4), 525; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10040525 - 07 Apr 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2366
Abstract
Soil invertebrates are crucial for agroecosystem functioning yet sensitive to agricultural practices, including fertilization. Considering the postulates of circular phosphorus economy, the use of fertilizers from secondary raw materials is likely to return and increase and may even become obligatory. The effects of [...] Read more.
Soil invertebrates are crucial for agroecosystem functioning yet sensitive to agricultural practices, including fertilization. Considering the postulates of circular phosphorus economy, the use of fertilizers from secondary raw materials is likely to return and increase and may even become obligatory. The effects of recycled fertilizers on soil fauna communities, however, remain poorly understood. In this paper, the effect of phosphorus fertilizer (RecF) and biofertilizer (RecB) from sewage sludge ash and dried animal (porcine) blood on earthworm’s occurrence in soil is discussed. RecB is RecF activated by phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria, Bacillus megaterium. Waste-based fertilizers were assessed in field experiments against commercial superphosphate and no P fertilization. Three levels of P doses were established (17.6, 26.4, and 35.2 kg P ha−1). Earthworms were collected after the test crop harvest (spring or winter wheat). In the experiments two earthworm species, Aporrectodea caliginosa and Aporrectodea rosea, were identified. A large proportion of juvenile individuals were recorded in 2017. The recycled fertilizers used in the experiments used in recommended doses, similarly to superphosphate, did not alter the density, biomass, species composition, and structure of earthworms. Further long-term field research is recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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8 pages, 964 KiB  
Communication
Distribution and Restricted Vertical Movement of Nematodes in a Heavy Clay Soil
by Oliver Knox, Katherine Polain, Elijha Fortescue and Bryan Griffiths
Agronomy 2020, 10(2), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020221 - 04 Feb 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2700
Abstract
A large part of Australia’s broad acre irrigation industry, which includes cotton, is farmed on heavy clay Vertosols. Recent changes in nematicide chemical availability, changes in rotations and the observation of the reniform nematode in central Queensland has highlighted that we need to [...] Read more.
A large part of Australia’s broad acre irrigation industry, which includes cotton, is farmed on heavy clay Vertosols. Recent changes in nematicide chemical availability, changes in rotations and the observation of the reniform nematode in central Queensland has highlighted that we need to improve our understanding of nematodes in these soils. We undertook preliminary investigations into distribution by depth under a cotton-cotton and cotton-maize rotation as well as vertical movement experiments in microcosms to better understand nematode distribution and movement in heavy clay soils. Analysis revealed that field populations decreased with soil sample depth, but there were also differences between rotations. In microcosm experiments, vertical movement of nematodes in these heavy clay soils was restricted, even in the presence of plant roots and moisture, both of which were hypothesised to improve nematode migration. The results imply that crop rotation currently remains a plausible option for nematode control, and that we still have a lot to learn about the ecology of nematode populations in Vertosols. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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12 pages, 1297 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study of Field Nematode Communities over a Decade of Cotton Production in Australia
by Oliver Knox, David Backhouse and Vadakattu Gupta
Agronomy 2020, 10(1), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10010123 - 15 Jan 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3085
Abstract
Soil nematode populations have the potential to indicate ecosystem disturbances. In response to questions about nematode interactions with soilborne diseases and whether genetically modified cotton altered nematode populations, several fields in the Namoi cotton growing area of Australia were sampled between 2005 and [...] Read more.
Soil nematode populations have the potential to indicate ecosystem disturbances. In response to questions about nematode interactions with soilborne diseases and whether genetically modified cotton altered nematode populations, several fields in the Namoi cotton growing area of Australia were sampled between 2005 and 2007. No significant interactions were observed, but nematodes numbers were low and postulated to be due to the use of the nematicide aldicarb. Aldicarb was removed from the system in 2011 and in 2015 funding allowed some fields to be resampled to determine if there had been a change in the nematode numbers following aldicarb removal. No significant changes in the total nematode numbers were observed, implying that the removal of aldicarb had little impact on the total nematode population size. However, an increase in plant parasitic nematodes was observed in both fields, but the species identified and the levels of change were not considered a threat to cotton production nor driven solely by altered pesticide chemistry. Additionally, greater numbers of higher order coloniser-persisters in the 2015 samples suggests that the current cotton production system is less disruptive to the soil ecosystem than that of a decade ago. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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15 pages, 1449 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the Effect of Perennial Energy Crops and Arable Crops on Earthworm Populations
by Beata Feledyn-Szewczyk, Paweł Radzikowski, Jarosław Stalenga and Mariusz Matyka
Agronomy 2019, 9(11), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9110675 - 24 Oct 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3837
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to compare earthworm communities under winter wheat in different crop production systems on arable land—organic (ORG), integrated (INT), conventional (CON), monoculture (MON)—and under perennial crops cultivated for energy purposes—willow (WIL), Virginia mallow (VIR), and miscanthus (MIS). Earthworm [...] Read more.
The purpose of the study was to compare earthworm communities under winter wheat in different crop production systems on arable land—organic (ORG), integrated (INT), conventional (CON), monoculture (MON)—and under perennial crops cultivated for energy purposes—willow (WIL), Virginia mallow (VIR), and miscanthus (MIS). Earthworm abundance, biomass, and species composition were assessed each spring and autumn in the years 2014–2016 using the method of soil blocks. The mean species number of earthworms was ordered in the following way: ORG > VIR > WIL > CON > INT > MIS > MON. Mean abundance of earthworms decreased in the following order: ORG > WIL > CON > VIR > INT > MIS > MON. There were significantly more species under winter wheat cultivated organically than under the integrated system (p = 0.045), miscanthus (p = 0.039), and wheat monoculture (p = 0.002). Earthworm abundance was significantly higher in the organic system compared to wheat monoculture (p = 0.001) and to miscanthus (p = 0.008). Among the tested energy crops, Virginia mallow created the best habitat for species richness and biomass due to the high amount of crop residues suitable for earthworms and was similar to the organic system. Differences in the composition of earthworm species in the soil under the compared agricultural systems were proven. Energy crops, except miscanthus, have been found to increase earthworm diversity, as they are good crops for landscape diversification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Agricultural Practices on Biodiversity of Soil Invertebrates)
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