Effect of agricultural management on the biodiversity of soil microarthropod communities in apple orchards

In agriculture systems, the activity of insect fauna is influenced by management practices through change in the orchard environment from cultivation, the application of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Two orchard management systems, which differ on organic and conventional, were compared for biodiversity of soil microarthropod communities. Abundance of soil microarthropods was not different in two apple orchard systems. However, abundance was vary according to locations within orchard managements. Abundance of soil microarthropods relative to functional groups, predator and detritivore groups were significantly different between orchard management systems. The abundance of soil microarthropods were correlated to the soil conditions. The abundance of oribatid mites was positively correlated with soil moisture content, organic matters and nitrogen but negatively to soil pH. Collembolan was positively correlated with soil moisture content, organic matters. Also, gamasid mites were positively correlated with their potential preys, oribatid mites and collembolans. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination (NMS), showed distinct clusters from the two orchard management systems characterized by the abundance of oribatid mites and collembolans, some soil conditions.

Keywords: Agricultural managements, Microarthropod, Abundance, Functional group, NMS