IMPACT OF LAND USE ON THE EDAPHIC MESO AND MACROFAUNA IN SUGARCANE AND PASTURE

Abstract

The use of land associated with agriculture and pasture production is a key factor in soil biodiversity. For more than 50 years, land use has changed in the central region of Veracruz, from areas of native vegetation to agricultural or pasture areas, with changes in soil properties and biota. In the present study, the impact of land uses with pasture, sugarcane and native vegetation in the edaphic meso and macrofauna, was compared. For this, indices of abundance, wealth and diversity of existing communities were used. The work was carried out considering windy, rainy and dry seasons, using two soil depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm). In total, for the two soil levels, 16 taxa were identified, being the most abundant Formicidae, Oligochaeta, Isoptera and Carabidae, during windy and rainy seasons. Abundance of majority of groups corresponded to soil with native vegetation. The lowest abundance, richness, diversity and equity of meso and macrofauna was recorded during dry seasons and in the pasture land use. It is concluded that the change in land use for pasture cultivation can have a negative impact.