Tag Archives: cropping

153–168 A. Kanal
Effects of fertilisation and edaphic properties on soil-associated Collembola in crop rotation
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Effects of fertilisation and edaphic properties on soil-associated Collembola in crop rotation

A. Kanal

Department of Geography, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46,
51014 Tartu, Estonia; e-mail: akanal@ut.ee

Abstract:

In this study, the Collembola population and their seasonal fluctuations were measured on light-textured field soils (Cambic Arenosol and Stagnic Luvisol) in Southern Estonia. A ten-year-old field experiment with potato and spring cereals in crop rotation under different fertilisation was the main sampling area. Additional research was carried out on sandy soils cropped with spring barley. There was also considerable but not drastic variation in chemical topsoil parameters between treatments and sites. Modified Mcfayden equipments were used to extract Collembola from soil samples. The average quantities of Collembola varied within the range of 700–14 300 and 0–600 individuals m-2 for the eudaphic and hemiedaphic group, respectively. Application of organic manure and mineral nitrogen induced an increase in Collembola populations but the differences between treatments remained insignificant. The abundance of euedaphic Collembola under spring barley in September was several times higher than under potato. The influence of crop and probable amount of roots on the abundance of Collembola was more pronounced than that of fertilisation or soil texture and chemical features. It was hypothesised that the euedaphic Collembola community is subjected to density dependent regulation, despite significant year-to-year changes towards the end of the growing season.

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