Vol.06. Nos.3 - 4 (2007) pp.229-238
Title:

Soil macroinvertebrates under Guadua angustifolia Kunth in two study sites in the Colombian coffee growing region

Authors:Arango, M.L; Benítez, J.A; Camargo, J.C; Feijoo, A

Abstract:The abundance, biomass and diversity of macroinvertebrates were determined in two study sites of Guadua angustifolia in the Department of Quindfo (Quimbaya and Buenavista), Colombia. Sampling was carried out in four landuse sites; Guadua with high harvest (OHH), Guadua with low harvest (OLH), pasture (P) and forest (F). The systems under forest and pasture were used as reference points for comparison. The results showed that different soil management practices generated changes in the composition and structure of macroinvertebrate communities. Systems with high intervention (e.g. Guadua with high harvest) presented high biomass values and low diversity of species. The impacts generated by Guadua extraction and different soil management practices in short time periods, could have influenced the physical and chemical degradation ofthe soil, causing changes in biomass, abundance and diversity in soil macrofauna. On the contrary, systems like Guadua with low harvest maintained similar conditions to those of a forest and retained components of the original fauna, probably due to rich organic matter, shade and high water holding capacity of these systems.

Keywords:biomass; case studies; coffee; land use; soil fauna;

Permalink: https://www.jbronline.org/article.asp?id=175