Fauna edáfica, matéria orgânica e atributos físicos de um Argissolos sob plantio direto: impacto a curto prazo dos diferentes sistemas de cultivo

Abstract

The soil fauna benefits from systems with low disturbance of agricultural layers, as well as from increased soil cover promoted by no-till farming. In this analysis, we highlight the soil macrofauna and mesofauna. Monitoring the density and diversity of these communities provides valuable insights into the ecosystem services provided to the soil under agricultural management. In the face of climate change, promoting the resilience of agricultural soils is crucial for the survival of crops and the promotion of food security. This dissertation aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of no-till farming on the soil community, organic matter, and physical attributes of the soil, considering crop succession and rotation. The study was conducted at UFPEL in Capão do Leão-RS, in a Rhodic Lixisol, comparing the effects of different treatments with winter crops in succession or rotation with summer crops in no-till farming: T01 Monoculture (fallow/soybean); T02 Succession (ryegrass/soybean); T03 Rotation (ryegrass/soybean, ryegrass/corn); T04 Rotation (turnip + ryegrass/soybean, ryegrass/corn); T05 Rotation (ryegrass/soybean, vetch/corn). Monoliths were collected to identify the macrofauna organisms, and pitfall traps were used for the mesofauna, remaining in the field for seven days. Subsequently, a sample was taken to the laboratory for the use of Tullgren funnels. The granulometry, total porosity, macro porosity, and density were analyzed for the physical attributes of the soil, total organic carbon for the chemical attributes, and the organisms of the macro and mesofauna were counted and identified for the biological attribute. Shannon (H’) and Pielou’s evenness (e) indices for the found communities were estimated, determining the diversity or dominance among the soil fauna organisms. The results indicated that the rotation treatments were more effective in promoting the abundance and diversity of macro and mesofauna, as well as in improving the soil’s physical structure by increasing total porosity and reducing density. Additionally, an increase in organic matter content was observed in the treatments under crop rotation. These findings support the hypothesis that crop rotation can favor soil biodiversity and improve its physical conditions and organic matter in the short term, contributing to the quality and sustainability of the agricultural environment.