Resumen

SOCARRAS, Ana. Soil mesofauna: biological indicator of soil quality. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2013, vol.36, n.1, pp.5-13. ISSN 0864-0394.

The search, use and application of soil quality indicators have been intensified in the last decades, due to the need to preserve this non renewable resource which is essential for human life, in the face of the increasing deterioration. The selection of the indicators has been aimed, mainly, at learning the effect of the applied uses and the course of the rehabilitation of degraded or contaminated soils. The groups which integrate the soil mesofauna are sensitive to natural and anthropic disturbances of the edaphic environment, which cause changes in their specific composition and abundance, and produce loss of species and their diversity, with the subsequent decrease of soil stability and fertility. For such reason, the soil mesofauna is considered a good biological indicator of the soil conservation status. The number, density and balance of its groups allow to predict and evaluate the transformations brought about by the application of different agricultural production methods under specific soil and climate conditions, as well as to consider integrally the functioning of the ecosystem.

Palabras clave : indicator organisms; soil conservation.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf ) | Inglés ( pdf )