JOURNAL of Soil Biology and Ecology

The combined effect of agrochemicals and abiotic factors on the abundance of soil macrofauna in undisturbed grassland ecosystems

Author

ABDUL QAHAR QARLUQ

Abstract:

The research evaluated the interaction effects of various agrochemicals, including insecticides (phorate, carbofuran, and chlorpyrifos), an acaricide (dicofol), fungicide (carbendazim), neem cake, and water-soluble fertilizers (50:40:25 kg NPK/ha), and abiotic factors on the abundance of soi macrofauna in an undisturbed grassland habitat with a dense grass mat. Among the treated plots, soil application of carbofuran (7.55 macrofauna per pitfall trap) showed greater toxicity to total macrofauna than the control group (10.37 macrofauna per trap), although it was comparable to the other treatments. The ranked order of toxicity in total soil macrofauna was: carbofuran > carbendazim > neem cake > chlorpyrifos > fertilizer > phorate > dicofol > control. Pre-treatment total macrofauna was significantly higher (21.04 per trap) than in the subsequent observation periods. Total macrofauna abundance declined significantly at 10 DAT (8.96 per trap), increased at 20 DAT, and then gradually declined from 30 DAT onward. The lowest abundance was recorded at 75 DAT. Total macrofauna showed a positive relationship with minimum temperature, soil temperature, maximum and minimum relative humidity, total rainfall, and soil moisture. Maximum temperature and bright sunshine hours showed a negative relationship with total macrofauna. Regression analysis showed that abiotic factors influenced total macrofauna density by up to 1.00%.

Key Words: Acaricide, fertilizers, fungicide, insecticide, macrofauna, neem cake

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