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Soil mesofauna do not have the ability to reshape the soil and, therefore, are forced to use the existing [[pore space in soil]], cavities, or channels for locomotion. Soil organisms (e.g. earthworms, termites, ants, some insects’ larvae) can make the pore spaces and hence can change the soil [[porosity]], one aspect of [[soil morphology]]. Mesofauna contribute to habitable pore spaces and account for a small portion of total pore spaces. In [[clay]] soils' organic material in small pores reduce pore space. Grazing of bacteria by bacterivorous nematodes and flagellates, soil mesofauna living in the pores, may considerably increase Nitrogen mineralization because the bacteria are broken down and the N is released.<ref name="HassinkBouwman1993">{{cite journal|last1=Hassink|first1=J.|last2=Bouwman|first2=L.A.|last3=Zwart|first3=K.B.|last4=Brussaard|first4=L.|title=Relationships between habitable pore space, soil biota and mineralization rates in grassland soils|journal=Soil Biology and Biochemistry|volume=25|issue=1|year=1993|pages=47–55|issn=00380717|doi=10.1016/0038-0717(93)90240-C}}</ref>
Soil mesofauna do not have the ability to reshape the soil and, therefore, are forced to use the existing [[pore space in soil]], cavities, or channels for locomotion. Soil organisms (e.g. earthworms, termites, ants, some insects’ larvae) can make the pore spaces and hence can change the soil [[porosity]], one aspect of [[soil morphology]]. Mesofauna contribute to habitable pore spaces and account for a small portion of total pore spaces. In [[clay]] soils' organic material in small pores reduce pore space. Grazing of bacteria by bacterivorous nematodes and flagellates, soil mesofauna living in the pores, may considerably increase Nitrogen mineralization because the bacteria are broken down and the N is released.<ref name="HassinkBouwman1993">{{cite journal|last1=Hassink|first1=J.|last2=Bouwman|first2=L.A.|last3=Zwart|first3=K.B.|last4=Brussaard|first4=L.|title=Relationships between habitable pore space, soil biota and mineralization rates in grassland soils|journal=Soil Biology and Biochemistry|volume=25|issue=1|year=1993|pages=47–55|issn=00380717|doi=10.1016/0038-0717(93)90240-C}}</ref>


In agricultural soils, most of the biological activity occurs in the top {{convert|20|cm|in}} (which is referred as the plow layer) while in non-cultivated soils, the most biological activity occurs in top {{convert|5|cm|in}} of soil. Among different horizons of soil, the organic horizon (O) is the area of accumulation of animal residues (low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio) and recognizable plant material (high C/N ratio) (House et al. 1984). Some [[Nitrogen fixation]] is caused by bacteria which consume the amino acids and sugar that are exuded by the plant roots.<ref name="Trolldenier1987">{{cite journal |last1=Trolldenier|first1=G.|title=Curl, E.A. and B. Truelove: The Rhizosphere. (Advanced Series in Agricultural Sciences, Vol. 15) Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York-Tokyo, 1986. 288 p, 57 figs., Hardcover DM 228.00, ISBN 3–540–15803–0|journal=Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde|volume=150|issue=2|year=1987|pages=124–125|issn=00443263|doi=10.1002/jpln.19871500214}}</ref> However, approximately 30% of nitrogen re-mineralization is contributed by soil fauna in agriculture and natural ecosystems.<ref name="ElliottColeman1988">{{cite journal|last1=Elliott|first1=E.T.|last2=Coleman|first2=David C.|title=Let the Soil Work for Us|url=http://jstor.org/stable/20112982|date=c. 1988|pages=23–32}}</ref> Macro- and mesofauna break down plant residues (Badejo et al. 1995; Gobat et al. 2010) to release Nitrogen as part of [[nutrient cycle|nutrient cycling]]. (Swift et al. (1979)
In agricultural soils, most of the biological activity occurs in the top {{convert|20|cm|in}} (which is referred as the plow layer) while in non-cultivated soils, the most biological activity occurs in top {{convert|5|cm|in}} of soil. Among different horizons of soil, the organic horizon (O) is the area of accumulation of animal residues (low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio) and recognizable plant material (high C/N ratio) (House et al. 1984). Some [[Nitrogen fixation]] is caused by bacteria which consume the amino acids and sugar that are exuded by the plant roots.<ref name="Trolldenier1987">{{cite journal |last1=Trolldenier|first1=G.|title=Curl, E.A. and B. Truelove: The Rhizosphere. (Advanced Series in Agricultural Sciences, Vol. 15) Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York-Tokyo, 1986. 288 p, 57 figs., Hardcover DM 228.00, ISBN 3–540–15803–0|journal=Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde|volume=150|issue=2|year=1987|pages=124–125|issn=00443263|doi=10.1002/jpln.19871500214}}</ref> However, approximately 30% of nitrogen re-mineralization is contributed by soil fauna in agriculture and natural ecosystems.<ref name="ElliottColeman1988">{{cite journal|last1=Elliott|first1=E.T.|last2=Coleman|first2=David C.|title=Let the Soil Work for Us|url=http://jstor.org/stable/20112982|date=c. 1988|pages=23–32}}</ref> Macro- and mesofauna break down plant residues<ref name="BadejoTian1995">{{cite journal|last1=Badejo|first1=M. Adetola|last2=Tian|first2=Guanglong|last3=Brussaard|first3=Lijbert|title=Effect of various mulches on soil microarthropods under a maize crop|journal=Biology and Fertility of Soils|volume=20|issue=4|year=1995|pages=294–298|issn=0178-2762|doi=10.1007/BF00336093}}</ref> ( Gobat et al. 2010) to release Nitrogen as part of [[nutrient cycle|nutrient cycling]]. (Swift et al. (1979)




Revision as of 22:10, 19 October 2017

Soil Mesofauna are invertebrates between 0.1mm and 2mm in size,[1] which live in the soil or in a leaf litter layer on the soil surface. Members of this group include nematodes, mites, springtails (collembola), proturans, pauropods, rotifers, tardigrades, small araneidae(spiders), pseudoscorpions, opiliones(harvestmen), enchytraeidae such as potworms, insect larvae, small isopods and myriapods. [2] They play an important part in the carbon cycle and are likely to be adversely affected by climate change.[3]

Soil mesofauna feed on a wide range of materials including other soil animals, microorganisms, animal material, live or decaying plant material, fungi, algae, lichen, spores, and pollen.[4] Species that feed on decaying plant material open drainage and aeration channels in the soil by removing roots. Fecal material of soil mesofauna remains in channels which can be broken down by smaller animals.

Soil mesofauna do not have the ability to reshape the soil and, therefore, are forced to use the existing pore space in soil, cavities, or channels for locomotion. Soil organisms (e.g. earthworms, termites, ants, some insects’ larvae) can make the pore spaces and hence can change the soil porosity, one aspect of soil morphology. Mesofauna contribute to habitable pore spaces and account for a small portion of total pore spaces. In clay soils' organic material in small pores reduce pore space. Grazing of bacteria by bacterivorous nematodes and flagellates, soil mesofauna living in the pores, may considerably increase Nitrogen mineralization because the bacteria are broken down and the N is released.[5]

In agricultural soils, most of the biological activity occurs in the top 20 centimetres (7.9 in) (which is referred as the plow layer) while in non-cultivated soils, the most biological activity occurs in top 5 centimetres (2.0 in) of soil. Among different horizons of soil, the organic horizon (O) is the area of accumulation of animal residues (low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio) and recognizable plant material (high C/N ratio) (House et al. 1984). Some Nitrogen fixation is caused by bacteria which consume the amino acids and sugar that are exuded by the plant roots.[6] However, approximately 30% of nitrogen re-mineralization is contributed by soil fauna in agriculture and natural ecosystems.[7] Macro- and mesofauna break down plant residues[8] ( Gobat et al. 2010) to release Nitrogen as part of nutrient cycling. (Swift et al. (1979)


References

  1. ^ "Macrofauna and Mesofauna". National Soil Resources Centre, UK. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  2. ^ Menta, Cristina (2012). "Soil Fauna Diversity - Function, Soil Degradation, Biological Indices, Soil Restoration". InTechOpen. InTechOpen. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  3. ^ Seeber, Julia (2012). "Drought-induced reduction in uptake of recently photosynthesized carbon by springtails and mites in alpine grassland". Soil biology & biochemistry. 55 (December): 37–39. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2012.06.009. 0038-0717.
  4. ^ "Collembola: springtails". Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  5. ^ Hassink, J.; Bouwman, L.A.; Zwart, K.B.; Brussaard, L. (1993). "Relationships between habitable pore space, soil biota and mineralization rates in grassland soils". Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 25 (1): 47–55. doi:10.1016/0038-0717(93)90240-C. ISSN 0038-0717.
  6. ^ Trolldenier, G. (1987). "Curl, E.A. and B. Truelove: The Rhizosphere. (Advanced Series in Agricultural Sciences, Vol. 15) Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York-Tokyo, 1986. 288 p, 57 figs., Hardcover DM 228.00, ISBN 3–540–15803–0". Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde. 150 (2): 124–125. doi:10.1002/jpln.19871500214. ISSN 0044-3263.
  7. ^ Elliott, E.T.; Coleman, David C. (c. 1988). "Let the Soil Work for Us": 23–32. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ^ Badejo, M. Adetola; Tian, Guanglong; Brussaard, Lijbert (1995). "Effect of various mulches on soil microarthropods under a maize crop". Biology and Fertility of Soils. 20 (4): 294–298. doi:10.1007/BF00336093. ISSN 0178-2762.
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