Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Response of soil nematode ecological and maturity indexes and faunal analysis to the conservation tillage 

Author(s):

Feng Liu, Jianli Zhang, Fengyuan Wang, Lei Liang *

Recieved Date: 2013-01-20, Accepted Date: 2013-04-24

Abstract:

As part of a case study in Liaozhong county of the Liaoning province and to assess soil ecological effects of conservation tillage, ecological indexes of the soil nematode were compared under traditional plow tillage (PT) or under a 10-yr conservation tillage consisting of no-tillage and straw mulch (CT). The results indicate that the fungivores to bacterivores ratio (F/B) at a depth of 0–5 cm under CT was significantly higher, but significantly lower at a 15–30 cm depth, compared to PT. The nematode channel ratio (NCR) value was directly in opposition to the F/B ratio. CT conditions significantly elevated the soil nematode dominance index (λ) and the micro- to plant-feeding nematode ratio (WI), but decreased the evenness index (J), the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (Hg) and the richness index (SR) compared to PT conditions. Additionally, compared to PT, the trophic diversity index (Td) in CT soil was significantly lower at a depth greater than 15 cm, yet higher in the 15–30 cm depth layer. the conservation tillage significantly decreased maturity indexes for free-living nematodes (MI), for total nematodes (MMI), for free-living nematodes with c-p values of 2– 5 (MI2–5) and for total nematodes with c-p values of 2–5 (MMI2–5), as compared to plow tillage. Soil nematode faunal analysis suggested that, enrichment index EI and structure index SI were both significantly lower under the conservation tillage than under plow tillage.  Correlation analysis suggests that, WI, λ, Hg, J and SR are suitable for indicating the effects of conservation tillage on soil quality. maturity indexes of MI, MMI, MI2–5 and MMI2–5 and structure index SI can be good indicators for evaluating the conservation tillage effects on soil environmental quality. 

Keywords:

Soil nematode, maturity index, faunal analysis, conservation tillage, no-tillage, straw mulch

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2013
Volume: 11
Issue: 2
Category: Environment
Pages: 1111-1117

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