Diversity of springtails (Collembola) in agricultural and forest systems in Southern Santa Catarina

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of soil use on the morphological diversity of springtails and to verify the relationship of these organisms with soil physical, chemical, and microbiological properties. Samples were collected in the Southern region of Santa Catarina, involving three municipalities: Orleans, Lauro Müller, and Siderópolis, in the land use systems (LUS) of native forest (NF), Eucalyptus plantation (EP), pasture (PA), integrated crop-livestock (ICL), and no-tillage (NT). Soil samples to determine edaphic properties and pitfall traps were collected in winter and summer, in the same areas. The collected springtails were counted and morphotyped and the data were analyzed through abundance, Shannon-Wiener diversity (H’) and Margalef index, Simpson dominance index (D), Pielou evenness index (J), morphotype richness, and Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Springtails morphotypes were influenced by the management conditions of each system, especially the impact of LUS on these organisms depends on the intensity of the forest/agricultural practices used, including crop rotation and soil preparation.