Cross-taxa congruence, indicators and environmental gradients in soils under agricultural and extensive land management

Aidan M. Keith, Bas Boots, Christina Hazard, Robin Niechoj, Julio Arroyo, Gary D. Bending, Tom Bolger, John Breen, Nicholas Clipson, Fiona M. Doohan, Christine T. Griffin, Olaf Schmidt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Important steps in developing reliable bioindicators for soil quality are characterising soil biodiversity and determining the response of its components to environmental factors across a range of land uses and soil types. Baseline data from a national survey in Ireland were used to explore relationships between diversity and composition of micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, mycorrhiza), and micro-, meso- and macro-fauna (nematodes; mites; earthworms, ants) across a general gradient representing dominant land uses (arable, pasture, rough-grazing, forest and bogland). These diversity data were also linked to soil physico-chemical properties. Differences in diversity and composition of meso- and macro-fauna, but not microbes, were clear between agriculturally-managed (arable and pasture) and extensively-managed (rough-grazing and bogland) soils corresponding to a broad division between 'mineral' and 'organic' soils. The abundance, richness and composition of nematode and earthworm taxa were significantly congruent with a number of the other groups. Further analysis, using significant indicator species from each group, identified potential target taxa and linked them to soil environmental gradients. This study suggests that there is potential surrogacy between the diversity of key soil taxa groups and that different sets of bioindicators may be most effective under agricultural and extensive land use.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)55-62
Number of pages8
JournalEuropean Journal of Soil Biology
Volume49
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2012

Keywords

  • Biodiversity
  • Bioindicators
  • Land use
  • Physico-chemical gradients
  • Soil community structure
  • Soil monitoring

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