Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.
School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.
Exp Appl Acarol. 2018 Mar;74(3):291-300. doi: 10.1007/s10493-018-0227-1. Epub 2018 Feb 21.
Sugarcane farmers can utilise a soil conservation technique called green cane trash blanketing, a form of mulching that can increase plant productivity through a number of channels, e.g., via altering soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics, and influence soil arthropod assemblages. Predatory mites (Mesostigmata) are important components of soil communities because they can control populations of other soil-dwelling pest species. Our aim was to characterise mulch-influenced predatory Mesostigmata community assemblages in sugarcane soils in Queensland, Australia. We found that application of a mulch layer significantly increased the abundance of Mesostigmata, and oribatid mites and collembolans, in soils. Furthermore, we observed that the assemblages of Mesostigmata in soil covered by mulch were significantly different to those in bare soil; and the assemblages of Mesostigmata changed over time. The assemblages of Mesostigmata, but not Oribatida or collembolans, were significantly different in soil under mulch depending on whether the mulch was freshly laid, or decomposing. Our results show that the use of mulch, specifically the green cane trash blanket, can increase overall microarthropod abundance including Mesostigmata. This is likely due to increased habitat complexity and changing resource availability.
蔗农可以利用一种叫做绿蔗渣覆盖的土壤保持技术，这是一种通过多种途径增加植物生产力的覆盖方式，例如，通过改变土壤的物理、化学和生物特性，以及影响土壤节肢动物群落。捕食性螨（真螨目）是土壤群落的重要组成部分，因为它们可以控制其他土壤栖息的害虫物种的种群。我们的目的是描述澳大利亚昆士兰州甘蔗土壤中覆盖物影响的捕食性真螨目群落组合。我们发现，覆盖物的应用显著增加了土壤中真螨目、食真菌螨和弹尾目昆虫的丰度。此外，我们观察到，覆盖物下土壤中的真螨目群落与裸土中的群落有显著差异；而且真螨目的群落随时间而变化。真螨目的群落，而不是食真菌螨或弹尾目昆虫，在覆盖物下的土壤中根据覆盖物是新铺设的还是正在分解而有显著差异。我们的结果表明，使用覆盖物，特别是绿蔗渣覆盖物，可以增加包括真螨目在内的总体微节肢动物的丰度。这可能是由于栖息地复杂性增加和资源可利用性的变化。
