Abstract

GARCIA, Y; RAMIREZ, Wendy  and  SANCHEZ, Saray. Effect of different land uses on the composition and abundance of the edaphic macrofauna, in Matanzas province. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2014, vol.37, n.3, pp. 313-321. ISSN 0864-0394.

The effect of four land use systems on the richness and abundance of the edaphic macrofauna, during the rainy season (June-October), 2011, was evaluated in the Colón, Calimete and Perico municipalities (Matanzas province, Cuba). The macrofauna sampling was performed according to the Methodology of the International Research Program «Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility» (TSBF). The evaluated systems were: staple crops (soils with 10 years -or more‒ of intensive exploitation), agricultural farms (soils with more than five years of exploitation, with minimum tillage and both organic and inorganic fertilization), silvopastoral (soils with more than 10 years of exploitation and a overall stocking rate of cattle between 1,7 and 1,8 LAU/ha) and pastureland (soils with more than 10 years of exploitation and with an overall stocking rate of cattle between1,3 and 1,5 LAU/ha). The highest density and biomass values were obtained in the least-disturbed systems, following the gradient: silvopastoral-pastureland-agricultural farms-staple crops. The density was sensitive only in the systems where there was a contrast regarding vegetation diversity and strata. The biomass reflected the changes in the different land uses and in soil management. It was proven that the different land uses, as well as the degree of disturbance and management intensity, influenced the composition and abundance of the edaphic macrofauna.

Keywords : Crops; pastures; silvopastoral systems.

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