Effect of Fallowed and Cultivated Land Use Systems on the Composition and Abundance of Soil Macroinvertebrates Assemblage in Uruk Osung Community, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Akpan A. U.^1,*, Chukwu M. N.², Esenowo I. K.¹, Johnson M.³ and Archibong D. E.¹

¹Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
²Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, National Open University of Nigeria, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria
³Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: akpanudoh@uniuyo.edu.ng

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Vol. 5 No. 1 | March 2021 | Pages 281 – 289

https://doi.org/10.36263/nijest.2021.01.0278 | Cite this article

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This study was to assess the effect of fallowed and cultivated land-use systems on the abundance of soil macroinvertebrates assemblage. Collections of soil samples were carried out fortnightly twice a month for four months. The extraction of soil macroinvertebrates was carried out using Berlese-Tullgren funnel extractor, and elutriation technique. The mean values of 6.93+/-0.25 were recorded for pH, 32.08+/-0.52oC for temperature, 15.60+/-1.22 for moisture content, were recorded for fallowed soil, and 4.43+/-0.16 (pH), 30.95+/-0.19oC (temperature) were recorded for cultivated soil. A total of 17 soil macroinvertebrates species comprising of 11 orders, from four classes were encountered. Out of the 517 individual soil macroinvertebrates encountered, 327 individuals representing four classes were present in the fallow land while 190 individuals representing three classes were present in the cultivated land. The most dominant species in terms of abundance in the fallowed land site included; Cryptotermes sp 67(20.49%) > Blatta sp 56(17.12%) with Hogna sp 1(0.0.30%) the least; while Cryptotermes sp. 79(41.58%) >Lasius sp 30(15.79%) > Lumbricus terrestris 21(11.05%) represents the dominant species in the cultivated soil with Paraponera sp 1(0.53%) the least. Soil temperature showed positive correlation with the abundance of Clitellata (r = 0.851; p < 0.05) and Insecta (r = 0.826; p < 0.05) and Soil pH showed positive correlation with the abundance of Diplopoda (r = 0.911; p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, it could be deduced from the study that human activities in the cultivated site perturb soil macroinvertebrates community structure which is reflected in the relative abundance of soil macroinvertebrate from the two sampling sites. The results obtained in this study could be a piece of pointing information for the conservation and management of the soil macroinvertebrates giving their functions in balancing agroecosystems.

Keywords: Macro-invertebrates, Fallow land, Cultivated land, Berlese-Tullgren funnel extractor