Changes in edaphic mesofauna by successive application of pig slurry and poultry litter in Tifton 85 pasture

Abstract

The application of organic or animal waste can alter the edaphic fauna. This study aimed to determine the influence from successive application of pig slurry (PS) and of poultry litter (PL) in the edaphic mesofauna in a Tifton 85 pasture. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a factorial arrangement (3 x 2), composed by 3 fertilization treatments with poultry litter (zero, 1.5 and 3.0 mg ha-1 of poultry litter), and two of PS (zero and 40 m3 ha-1), with 4 replicates. After collecting the edaphic fauna with PROVID type traps, we evaluated the relative frequency of the organisms and per functional groups, springtails, mites, abundance, Margalef richness, Simpson dominance index, Shannon diversity and Pielou index. The microphages relative frequency rises after four applications of pig slurry and poultry litter. The isolated use of pig slurry and poultry litter reduces Shannon diversity due to the increase in springtail population, while a joint application of 40 m3 ha-1 of PS with 1.5 t ha-1 PL induces diversity in the edaphic fauna. In periods of water deficit, Tifton 85 fertilization with pig slurry stimulates the fauna density and the Collembola order, in relation to the poultry litter.