DIVERSIDADE DA FAUNA EDÁFICA EM SISTEMAS INTEGRADOS COM MILHO E BRAQUIÁRIA

Abstract

The edaphic fauna is known for its wealth, natural diversity, and importance for the maintenance of community life. This paper aimed to identify the composition and the abundance of the edaphic mesofauna and macrofauna in two areas under an integrated production system (IPS) with corn and brachiaria, as well as to correlate these parameters with soil chemical attributes, deducing about its quality. This study was carried out in two different areas, one in the experimental area of Associated Research Group of Southwest of Goiás (GAPES, Brazilian acronym) in the municipality of Rio Verde, Goiás State (GO), Brazil, and the other in the Boa Esperança farm in the municipality of Montividiu, also in Goiás State. Four treatments were evaluated: (a) maize/single soybean; (b)) maize/soybean intercropped with Brachiaria ruziziensis; (c)) maize/soybean intercropped with Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu; (d) fallow area (in the GAPES area) and Cerrado area (at Boa Esperança farm). The invertebrates were collected by manual screening and the Berlese method, then identified and quantified with a microscope and stereoscope microscope. Taxonomic groups were identified at the highest possible taxonomic level (Class/Subclass/Order/Family). The verification and identification of edaphic organisms were subjected to diversity calculations, Simpson (dominance), Pielou (equity), and Shannon-Wiener (diversity). The soil was analyzed to determine the pH in water, organic matter, and phosphorus and Al3+ contents, according to Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa, 2009). The variables were subjected to analysis of variance, and the means were compared by the Tukey test (5%) for the significant effects. In general, the largest number of invertebrates belonging to hymenoptera order, followed by isoptera, coleoptera, and acarine order, showing a discrepancy in the amount of invertebrates in some treatments.