Soil Macroinvertebrate Response to Paddy Rice Farming Pathways in Mpologoma Catchment, Uganda
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Agronomy
Abstract
Agricultural practices play a major role in influencing soil fauna abundance and diversity.
Interest in these practices has increased owing to the growing need for sustainable agricultural
systems in this era of increasing agricultural intensification. In this study, two paddy rice farming
pathways (smallholder and large-scale commercial) and an adjacent natural wetland in Mpologoma
catchment were studied to determine the response of soil macroinvertebrates to paddy rice farming
pathways. Eighteen macroinvertebrate taxa were observed, some of which were not the usual soil
taxa (Hirudinea, Decapoda, Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, and Odonata). SIMPER analysis showed
that Oligochaeta, Gastropoda, and Coleoptera were the major taxa responsible for dissimilarity
among sites. Macroinvertebrate richness and diversity also varied among sites. Some taxa showed
habitat exclusivity: Diptera, Odonata, and Trichoptera were exclusive to both rice paddies; Decapoda,
Chilopoda, Diplopoda, and Blattodea to natural wetland; Diplura and Ephemeroptera were exclusive
to large-scale commercial paddies. NMDS ordination showed that macroinvertebrate distribution
among sites was strongly correlated with soil pH and calcium and moderately correlated with
phosphorus. These results indicate that wetland conversion to rice paddies could affect macroinvertebrate
richness and diversity and underscore the importance of soil environment in influencing the
macroinvertebrate community in rice paddies.
Description
Keywords
Soil fauna, Soil quality, Agricultural systems, Macroinvertebrates, Rice paddies, Wetlands
Citation
Bunyangha, J.; Muthumbi, A.W.; Gichuki, N.N.; Majaliwa, M.J.G.; Egeru, A. Soil Macroinvertebrate Response to Paddy Rice Farming Pathways in Mpologoma Catchment, Uganda. Agronomy 2022, 12, 312. https://doi.org/10.3390/ agronomy12020312