Tunneling by mole crickets (Scapteriscus spp.) enhances hydraulic conductivity of soils

Soil organisms, particularly arthropods, create biopores in soils as they move or tunnel.  The abundance and burrowing nature of mole crickets, a common soil-inhabiting pest in the southeastern U.S., likely influences the hydraulic conductivity of soils. Using field and greenhouse experiments, this study evaluated the effects of mole cricket tunneling on biopore formation and hydraulic conductivity of infested soils.  In the greenhouse, the hydraulic conductivity of soil columns with mole crickets were compared to uninfested soil columns as well as those with nightcrawlers (Lumbricus terrestris), a commonly used hypogeal species in biopore studies.  In the field, a Cornell infiltrometer was used to determine the runoff and infiltration rates of bermudagrass turfgrass with little or extensive tunneling by mole crickets.  In greenhouse microcosms, time to runoff where mole crickets were present was significantly less than either those columns with worms or no microfauna.  Similarly, in the field bermudagrass with extensive tunneling by mole crickets had greater hydraulic conductivity than adjacent, uninfested plots.  Research on biopore formation and hydraulic conductivity of soils mostly concern ants, termites, and worms as model organisms.  Mole crickets are also suitable model organisms for studying asking questions about hydraulic conductivity.  Under certain circumstances such as high input turfgrass, mole crickets may dramatically impact surface to groundwater infiltration movement of fertilizers or pesticides.