Occurrence of epigeic groups, with emphasis on the families of beetles (Coleoptera) in various types of soil management

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of epigeic groups of animals in five types of soil management. Research areas were marked as V1-EKO, whereas on the V1 area, mulching technology was used, on the V2 area, conventional technology, on V3 area, minimization technology, on the V4 area, no-till technology and the EKO area was managed in an ecological way. A ground pitfall trap was placed in the variety of a hybrid of Triticum aestivum × Triticum spelta – PS Lubica. The experiment was carried out between 2016 and 2018 in the research areas of the Research Institute of Plant Production in Borovce. In the course of three years, 11,365 specimen from 8 epigeic groups and 6 families were collected. At the eudominant level, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera groups were found in every research area. At the dominant level, Arachnoidea group were found on the V1 research area. and larvae on the EKO research area. The most numerous variant in terms of the number of individuals, but the number of groups also, collected over three years, was variant 1 – mulching technology. This means that shallow tillage, which decreases evaporation, soil loose and eliminates the weeds, is most beneficial to epigeic groups. Based on the statistical evaluation, we were unable to demonstrate the effect of rainfall on the occurrence of groups each year in the compared research areas. On the contrary, we were able to demonstrate the effect of temperature changes on the occurrence of epigeon.

Keywords

• epigeic groups
• coleoptera
• ecological agriculture
• pitfall trap