Temporal Dynamics of Soil Invertebrate Communities in a Vineyard Under Treatment with Pesticides

Abstract

Abstract Phytosanitary treatments with pesticides are widely used to control pests and diseases in vineyards. An important part of the dispersed pesticide reaches the soil, affecting the fauna, producing quantitative and qualitative changes in the edaphic population’s structure and physiological activities. This study aims to evaluate the temporal dynamics of the soil macro and mesofauna through different pesticide treatment periods, where fungicides are the dominant pest control agent. A field experiment was carried out in Boumerdes, a specific viticultural region in Algeria. Soil samples were taken during three periods, before, during, and after treatment with pesticides, using the quadrat method at three soil depths. During these three periods, the soil macro and mesofauna were observed and compared. The results showed significant differences in the composition of invertebrate communities that tended to disappear during pesticide application. The structure and diversity of 11 invertebrate classes, including Collembola, changed along the treatment gradient. The effects of sampling periods on occurrence, abundance, and taxon richness were consistently negative. These indices were significantly lower after pesticide application. Therefore, we can suppose that climatic factors and pesticide treatements are the main factors affecting the activity and density of all classes of invertebrates, but these effects vary between the functional groups of soil biota.