Soil fauna-landscape relationship in topossequence eucalyptus plantation

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of relief on edaphic arthropods in a Eucalyptus urophylla plantation. Litter layer and soil (0 - 5 cm) randomly released (N = 10) circumscribed to a metal jig (25 x 25 cm) were collected in three topographic sections (TS, TM, and TI: upper, middle, and lower thirds, respectively) in the rainy and dry seasons of 2003. Formicidae was the predominant taxonomic group, independently of the topographic section. The main component analysis individualized the topographic sections among themselves and demonstrated the correlation of a greater number of taxonomic groups with TS. The hierarchical clustering analysis indicated high similarity between TI and TM, which were dissimilar in relation to TS. The differences among topographic sections were probably influenced by the higher gravimetric moisture and soil fertility in TS.