Impact of Swine Slurry on Soil Health Parameters Arthropods as Biological Indicators Micro Manure Management May 22, 2015 Nicole Ryan Schuster Arthropods as Soil Health Indicators Diversity and Density Arthropod diversity reflects good soil health due to the diversity of food sources required to support different arthropod species and families Significant arthropod quantities in samples reflect good soil health since it would indicate an ample food source to support large arthropod communities Arthropods as Soil Health Indicators Pankhurst, Doube, and Gupta, 1997
Eco-morphological Index (EMI) Measure of adaptation to the soil environment Soil depth eu-edaphic (deep soil-living) hemi-edaphic (intermediate) epi-edaphic (surface-living) Formation of appendages and visual apparatus Group EMI score Protura 20 Diplura 20 Collembola 1-20 Orthoptera 1-20 Psocoptera 1 Hemiptera 1-10 Thysanoptera 1 Coleoptera 1-20 Hymenoptera 1-5 Diptera (larvae) 10 Acari 20 Araneae 1-5 Palpigradi 20 Pseudoscorpiones 20 Isopoda 10 Chilopoda 10-20 Diplopoda 10-20 Pauropoda 20 Symphyla 20 Orthoptera In general EMI 1 Except for Grillidae family Whose EMI is 20 Hemiptera In general, most epigeous forms EMI 1 Cicada larvae EMI 10 Coleoptera Clearly epigeous forms EMI 1 a) smaller than 2mm add 4 to EMI b) thin integument add 5 to EMI c) reduced or absent hind wings add 5 to EMI d)micro - or ano-phtalmy add 5 to EMI Hymenotera In general EMI 1 Formicidae EMI 5 Araneae Small forms, EMI 5 scarcely pigmented Forms >5mm EMI 1 Diplopoda Forms >5mm EMI 5 Forms <5mm EMI 20 Chilopoda Forms >5mm, well developed legs EMI 10 Other forms EMI 20 Image from: 6legs2many.wordpress.com Pigmentation Sminthuridae Images from: Bugguide.net www.makro-forum.de
Appendage and Visual Apparatus Development Isotomidae and Hypogastruridae Images from: Tolweb.org www.boldsystems.org Uahost.uantwerpen.be Study Site Information Roger s Memorial Farm 18 km east of Lincoln, NE Aksarben silty clay loam soil Fine, smectitic, mesic Typic 15% sand, 48% silt, 37% clay, 3.5% organic matter, 1.5% total carbon, mean slope of 10% Twelve 0.75 m x 2 m plots were established along the slope Four per treatment A = Injection B = Broadcast C = Check Swine Slurry Application Two methods of Application Broadcast Injection Commercial applicator Approximately 46,800 liters per hectare
Sample Collection Soil arthropod samples from approximately 2,800 cc soil samples Monthly collection: June 2014 through June 2015 Soil probe cores 0-4 and 4-8 Commercial laboratory Nutrient Analyses Volume and density analyses in UNL soil labs Berlese funnels Sample Analyses Mites Hypogastruridae Isotomidae
References Pankhurst, C., B.M. Doube, and V.V.S.R. Gupta. (1997). Biological Indicators of Soil Health. CABI Publishing: New York, NY. Parisi, V., C. Menta, C. Gardi, C. Jacomini, and E. Mozzanica. (2005). Microarthropod communities as a tool to assess soil quality and biodiversity: a new approach in Italy. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 105: 323-333. Van Straalen, N.M. (1998). Evaluation of bioindicator systems derived from soil arthropod communities. Applied Soil Ecology 9: 429-437. Images from: www.tolweb.org www.boldsystems.org www.uahost.uantwerpen.be www.bugguide.net www.makro-forum.de Thank you! Questions?