Assessment of Possible Threats to Soil Macro-invertebrates Diversity in Wheat Fields from High Input Farming

Soil macro-invertebrates are an integral part of all agro-ecosystems. But, modern/intensified agri-farming is deteriorating these key elements-resulting in negative impact on soil structure, hydrological processes, gas exchange, detoxification and recycling of organic matter. Present study was carried out to weigh up the deterioration of soil macro-invertebrates in wheat fields due to high inputs compared with low inputs of chemical fertilizers. Soil samples were taken by core sampler from three micro-habitats viz. open edge, sub-shadow and inside the field of each randomly selected field over two consecutive years. In total 1185, specimens belong to 16 orders, 57 families and 126 species (combined) were recorded from the both fields viz. 859 from low input and only 326 from high input. Species dynamics was also in same order. Out of 126, 102 were recorded in low input and 62 in high input fields. However, species diversity in micro-habitats was higher in low input among open edge, sub-shadow places (under trees), while inside the field was dominant in high input field. order Pulmonata, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Isopoda and Dermaptera were the most abundant. The t-test analysis between low input and high input was remarkable (t = 3.369; p < 0.01). Diversityʹs Index was 3.848 in low input and 3.611 in high input fields, whilst evenness were 0.452 and 0.706, in low input and high input, respectively. It is concluded that deterioration of macro-invertebrates was less pronounced in organically managed fields (low input) as compared to high input farming. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers