Statistical analysis and simulation modelling of the belowground food webs of two winter wheat management practices

Abstract

Soil food webs could be compartmented into categories of functional groups based on food choice and trophic level. Degree of compartmentalization depended on management practice. Consumers of fungi were separated in time from consumers of bacteria under the integrated management practice; little separation was observed under conventional practice. Simulation modelling was used to estimate the N flux rates among functional groups within the food webs. More flow occurred in the integrated plot. More material flow occurred in the upper 10 cm of the integrated plot than in the 10-25 cm layer; there was no such difference in the conventional plot. -from Authors