The Effect of Fertilizer Regime on Soil Fauna

Abstract

Soil fauna activity in agricultural soil is a key factor to maintain soil fertility and to assure soil ecosystem services. It is now accepted that agricultural practices like tillage and pesticide use can harm soil organisms including earthworms and springtails. Other practices like the use of green manure or animal manure have been considered as being beneficial to these soil invertebrates. To deepen our knowledge on the effect of fertilizers (mineral and organic) on earthworms (Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus terrestris) and springtails (Folsomia candida) 56 microcosm experiments were made with two soil types and two hydric regimes. The microcosms were amended with four fertilizers: ammonium nitrate, mustard as green manure, cow manure and slurry. The results emphasize that mustard use had beneficial effect on Folsomia candida abundance and Aporrectodea caliginosa biomass, while mineral fertilizer had negative effects for all species used in the experiment.

Keywords

• fertilization, soil, earthworms, springtails.