V. Nsengimana, A. B Kaplin, D. Nsabimana, W. Dekoninck, and F. Francis (2021)
Diversity and abundance of soil-litter arthropods and their relationships with soil physicochemical properties under different land uses in Rwanda
Biodiversity.
Soil-litter arthropods are critical for ecosystem functioning and sensitive to land use change, and
hence to the variations in soil physicochemical properties. The relationships between soil-litter
arthropod communities and soil physicochemical properties, however, remain poorly studied in
Rwanda. We explored the relationships between the families of soil-litter arthropods and soil
properties in exotic and native tree species, and in varieties of coffee and banana plantations. Soil-litter arthropods were sampled by using Berlese funnels, hand sorting, and pitfall traps, and were
identified to the family level. Soil cores were collected and analysed for soil pH, available phosphorus, total nitrogen, soil organic carbon, silt, clay and sand. A total of 3176 individuals of soil-litter arthropods were collected, identified and classified into 13 orders and 23 families. Higher
abundance was found in soil and litter sampled in plots of native tree species and banana
plantations compared to exotic tree species and coffee plantations. Higher diversity was found
in plots of native and exotic tree species. The analysis of soil physicochemical properties indicated
that native tree species offer suitable conditions of studied soil properties. The study of the
relationships between the land use, soil properties and families of soil-litter arthropods indicated
positive correlations and relationships mainly in native tree species. We conclude that forest with
native tree species play an important role in the conservation of soil-litter arthropods and for
maintenance of better soil conditions.
exotic; native; banana;, coffee; soil-litter arthropod;, soil properties
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