Content
The main factor causing the degradation of soils throughout Europe is water erosion
however, there is a lack of information on the effect of water erosion on surface-dwelling invertebrates. Our research on this effect was done in 4 fields situated on a slope in the Břeclav district, South Moravia, in the Czech Republic
three fields were planted with maize and one with sunflowers. Five pitfall traps were set at the top, five in middle and five at the bottom of the slope in each field. The data obtained were analyzed using CANOCO to evaluate effects of environmental factors on two groups of soil fauna: ground beetles and spiders. For all the maize fields the highest species diversity and abundances of both groups of soil invertebrates were recorded at the bottom of the slopes and the lowest diversities in the middle of the slopes. The soil that had accumulated at the bottom of slope due to erosion was rich in terms of nitrogen and humus and quality of the humus.
however, there is a lack of information on the effect of water erosion on surface-dwelling invertebrates. Our research on this effect was done in 4 fields situated on a slope in the Břeclav district, South Moravia, in the Czech Republic
three fields were planted with maize and one with sunflowers. Five pitfall traps were set at the top, five in middle and five at the bottom of the slope in each field. The data obtained were analyzed using CANOCO to evaluate effects of environmental factors on two groups of soil fauna: ground beetles and spiders. For all the maize fields the highest species diversity and abundances of both groups of soil invertebrates were recorded at the bottom of the slopes and the lowest diversities in the middle of the slopes. The soil that had accumulated at the bottom of slope due to erosion was rich in terms of nitrogen and humus and quality of the humus.
Citation
Tuf I. H., Chmelík V., Machač O., Šarapatka B. & Čáp L. (2015): Effect of water erosion on surface-dwelling invertebrates. Acta Soc. Zool. Bohem. 79 (3): 261–266.Gallery
Online atlas
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Spiders
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