Effect of agro-ecosystem and periods of the year upon earthworm population density on silvopastoral systems

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Published: Jun 1, 2019

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H. R. Benavides
Universidad Politécnica Estatal del Carchi, Tulcán, Ecuador
S. Vargas
Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Carretera a Camajuaní. Km 6. Edificio C-1. Apto 110. Apartado Postal 54830. Santa Clara. Villa Clara. Cuba
D. Caicedo
Universidad Politécnica Estatal del Carchi, Tulcán, Ecuador
L. Carvajal
Universidad Politécnica Estatal del Carchi, Tulcán, Ecuador
D. I. Gutiérrez
Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Carretera a Camajuaní. Km 6. Edificio C-1. Apto 110. Apartado Postal 54830. Santa Clara. Villa Clara. Cuba
J. Mina
Universidad Politécnica Estatal del Carchi, Tulcán, Ecuador

Abstract

A completely randomized design with three treatments (agroecosystems): A1 (grasses and Alnus acuminata Kunth); A2 (grasses and Acacia melanoxylon R. Br.) and A3 (Grassland) and four periods of the years (PY): 1-12-2015 (1); 1-6-2016 (2); 1-12-2016 (3) and 1-6-2017 (4) in a factorial analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of agro-ecosystems (AES) and periods of the years upon the earthworm population density (EPD). There was not interaction (p>0.001) between AES and PY upon the EPD. The agro ecosystem A1 (189 m-2) differed (p<0.001) from A2 and A3 with (117 and 128 m-2) while these were similar in earthworms. The periods of the years effect (p<0.001) upon the EPD was higher in PY1 and PY2 (157 and 188 m-2) without differences between them, meanwhile the PY3 and PY4 were similar (118 and 116 m-2) but differed from the previous periods. The best results in the response variable was achieved in A1 agro-ecosystem which coincided with the better forestry indicators
with a mean difference of 1.66 m and 5.84 cm, in height and diameter, respectively. The survival of earthworms and its population density in all agro-ecosystems and periods of the years suggested that EPD is an appropriate bio-indicator to assess the soil health in agroforestry systems and grasslands, closely related with the edaphoclimatic conditions, design and management.
Keywords: agroforestry, soil biota, grassland

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How to Cite
Benavides, H. R., Vargas, S., Caicedo, D., Carvajal, L., Gutiérrez, D. I., & Mina, J. (2019). Effect of agro-ecosystem and periods of the year upon earthworm population density on silvopastoral systems. Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science, 53(2). Retrieved from https://cjascience.com/index.php/CJAS/article/view/889
Issue
Vol. 53 No. 2 (2019): Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science
Section
Pasture Science and other Crops

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