Nematode communities in organically and conventionally managed agricultural soils

Interpretation of nematode community indices requires a reference to a relatively undisturbed community. Maturity and trophic diversity index values were compared for five pairs of certified organically and conventionally managed soils in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Available nitrogen (ni...

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Veröffentlicht in:Journal of nematology. - 1969. - 31(1999), 2 vom: 16. Juni, Seite 142-54
1. Verfasser: Neher, D A (VerfasserIn)
Format: Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 1999
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Journal of nematology
Schlagworte:Journal Article community structure conventional farming ecology maturity index monitoring nematode ordination organic farming reference sites trophic diversity
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Interpretation of nematode community indices requires a reference to a relatively undisturbed community. Maturity and trophic diversity index values were compared for five pairs of certified organically and conventionally managed soils in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Available nitrogen (nitrate, ammonium) was estimated at various lag periods relative to times of sampling for nematode communities to determine the strength of correlative relationship between nematode communities and nitrogen availability. Soils were sampled six times yearly in 1993 and 1994 to determine the best time of year to sample. Maturity values for plant parasites were greater in organically than conventionally managed soils, and differences between management systems were greater in fall than spring months. However, other maturity and diversity indices did not differ between the two management practices. Differences in crop species grown in the two systems accounted for most differences observed in the community of plant-parasitic nematodes. Indices of free-living nematodes were correlated negatively with concentrations of ammonium, whereas indices of plant-parasitic nematodes were correlated positively with concentrations of nitrate. Due to the similarity of index values between the two systems, organically managed soils are not suitable reference sites for monitoring and assessing the biological aspects of soil quality for annually harvested crops
Beschreibung:Date Completed 14.07.2011
Date Revised 20.10.2021
published: Print
Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE
ISSN:0022-300X