The effect of cropping on diversity and density of springtails (Hexapoda: Collembola) in Khuzestan province, Southwest of Iran
Subject Areas : entomology and othea arthropodsL. Ramezani 1 , M. S. Mossadegh 2
1 - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Khuzestan Province, Iran
2 - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz, Ahwaz, Iran
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Abstract :
In order to assess the effects of cropping and agriculture on species diversity and Collembolan abundance, two different microhabitats (a wheat field and an abandoned wheat field) were selected in Ramhormoz, Khuzestan province, south west of Iran. Samples were collected monthly from 0 to 15 cm soil depth during 2010 and 2011. A total of 2700 collembolan specimens including 14 species from 11 genus and 7 families were collected from both sites that among them 11 species were collected from the abandoned field while all of them were collected from the crop field. Among the species Hypogastrura manubrialis and Lepidocyrtus sp. contributed to the high percentage and dominate the total recorded population of Collembola. Analysis of species diversity by Shannon-Wienner index indicated that the diversity index was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the crop field (2.58±0.01) than in the abandoned field (1.61±0.19) and the species densities in the crop field were more homogeneous.
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