1. Benadeel konvensionele grondbewerkingspraktyke die biodiversiteit in wingerdgronde?
- Author
-
Reinecke, Adriaan J. and Reinecke, Sophié A.
- Abstract
The influence of organic and conventional soil management practises on the density, diversity and activity of the soil dwelling mesofauna in vineyard soil were investigated over several seasons in this quantitative field study. Soil samples were taken over several seasons in organically and conventionally managed plots as well as in a natural control plot and organisms were extracted to count and identify the soil mesofauna (mostly Collembola and Acari). The feeding activity of the mesofauna in the soil was measured with the bait lamina method and buried litter bags to measure the decomposition of organic material over time. No statistically significant differences in numbers, diversity and activity of the mesofauna were found between the organically and conventionally managed plots. Therefore our stated hypothesis that the conventional practice, as employed here, would be detrimental compared to the organic treatment, could not be accepted. The activity of the mesofauna was significantly higher in the two managed plots than in the natural, untreated control plot from which we deduce that conditions in the two managed plots were favourable for the mesofauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF