Grassland management intensification affects the soil fauna in a subtropical highland |
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Authors: | Rafaela Alves Santos dos Peron Daniela Tomazelli Elston Kraft Tiago Celso Baldissera Dilmar Baretta Cassiano Eduardo Pinto Dennis Goss-Souza Luís Carlos Iuñes de Oliveira Filho Osmar Klauberg-Filho |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Soils and Natural Resources, Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, 88520-000 Brazil;2. Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company, Santa Catarina State Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, Lages, Santa Catarina, 88502-970 Brazil;3. College of Agronomy, Federal Institute of Paraná, Palmas, Paraná, 88555-000 Brazil |
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Abstract: | The conversion of natural grasslands to cultivated pastures can have a significant impact on the composition and structure of soil macro- and mesofauna groups, compromising the resilience of these organisms and the ecosystem services they provide. We studied the responses of these groups to increasing levels of soil disturbance across a gradient of four land management practices: Natural grassland (NG), Improved-natural grassland (IG), Perennial-cultivated pasture (PP), and Annual-cultivated pasture (AP). The NG area had a higher abundance of macrofauna, greater dominance of certain groups, particularly Isoptera, and a lower abundance of mesofauna. On the other hand, the IG area had a higher abundance and diversity of macro- and mesofauna, with a lower dominance of specific groups. The PP area had a higher abundance of Coleoptera, Oligochaeta, and Hemiptera, whereas the AP area, despite soil disturbance, showed a higher abundance of mesofauna, particularly mites, Collembola, and Enchytraeidae, but lower diversity. Different grassland management practices have significantly altered the composition and structure of macro- and mesofauna groups, resulting in high dissimilarity between communities. We recommend IG as a more productive and sustainable alternative to the total replacement of natural vegetation (NG) with intensified converted pastures (PP and AP), as it maintains soil fauna diversity and ecosystem services. |
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Keywords: | grassland microarthopod soil biodiversity soil fauna |
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