Edaphic mesofauna responses to land use change for sugarcane cultivation: insights from contrasting soil textures

Abstract

Land use change (LUC), specifically the cultivation of monoculture sugarcane, can negatively impact soil biodiversity, leading to a decline in soil health and ecosystem functioning. However, while studies focusing on macrofauna and microorganisms are more frequent in the literature, the impacts of LUC on mesofauna are still little known. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impacts of the predominant LUC for sugarcane production in Brazil on the diversity of edaphic mesofauna in soils with contrasting textures. In addition, we assessed correlations between biodiversity and soil properties chemical, biological, and physical attributes. We took samples from two sites (clayey and sandy soils) in southeastern Brazil. The sequence of LUC included i) native vegetation (NV), ii) pasture (PA), iii) sugarcane (SC), and iv) sugarcane ratoon (SCr). In the rainy season, monoliths (25 x 25 x 10 cm), soil samples were collected at 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm to assess soil mesofauna, soil chemical (pH, soil organic matter, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, potential acidity, cation exchange capacity), physical (soil porosity) and biological (microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen) properties. The mesofauna taxonomic groups were quantified after the classification. Briefly, a total of 22 taxonomic groups were classified. The most predominant groups were non-oribatid mites, oribatid mites, and Collembola. Richness and abundance were lower in the three land uses studied (PA, SCr, SC) compared to the intercept (NV). In clayey soil, diversity decreased from NV to PA (-0.68 ± 0.27) and SC (-0.55 ± 0.27) but not to SCr. In sandy soil, land use significantly impacted the mesofauna diversity and evenness index, significantly reducing these indexes in SCr in relation to NV. Although land use change towards more intensified systems resulted in a loss of richness and abundance of soil mesofauna, sugarcane cultivation over the years can recover the diversity of mesofauna in clay-textured soils. These results provide a scientific background to better understand the LUC effects on sugarcane cultivation and support the establishment of sustainable practices that enhance soil health and biodiversity in different soil textures. This study highlights the need for tailored land management considering soil texture and biodiversity for improved ecosystem services.