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Soil health in deciduous fruits: the development of Collembola as key indicators
Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613915674836992 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Jacobs, Abdul Ghaseeb |
| author2 | Janion-Scheepers, Charlene |
| author_browse | Jacobs, Abdul Ghaseeb Janion-Scheepers, Charlene |
| author_facet | Janion-Scheepers, Charlene Jacobs, Abdul Ghaseeb |
| author_sort | Jacobs, Abdul Ghaseeb |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/128475 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:44.261Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/128475 Soil health in deciduous fruits: the development of Collembola as key indicators Jacobs, Abdul Ghaseeb Janion-Scheepers, Charlene Addison, Pia Addison, Matthew Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology & Entomology. Collembola -- Ecology Apples -- Growth Soil management -- Environmental aspects Mulching -- Environmental aspects Plant-soil relationships Soils -- Health Agroecosystems -- Monitoring UCTD Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although knowledge on soil ecology is increasing globally, foundational knowledge on soil biodiversity is limited in undersampled regions such as Africa. Soil ecosystems have proven challenging to study and synthesizing of existing knowledge is a main focus for future understanding. Regardless, research on soil ecosystems have been gaining popularity in recent decades and remains an area of continued interest. Collembola, one of the most abundant soil microarthropods, are integrated into soil ecosystems and have been shown to be vital in understanding the status of soil and effects of land-use. However, Collembola, especially in the context of agroecosystems, remains understudied. Furthermore, information on their taxonomy and ecology remains limited in South Africa. This thesis investigated the differences in abundances, species richness, and community structure of Collembola (used as a model organism) between apple orchards using organic mulch with those that do not, over three seasons. The study also aimed to investigate for possible indicator species which may be helpful in identifying Collembola indicative of certain soil management practices. Furthermore, the effects of shade nets in apple orchards on Collembola diversity was also investigated in a pilot study for one season. In the mulch study a total of 33 Collembola species, including 11 families, from all four orders across all sites and seasons were identified. Mulched sites were able to significantly maintain Collembola abundance and species richness from winter to summer compared to unmulched sites. Individual sites varied in their abundance and species richness trends across seasons. Shannon-Wiener and Simpson indices did not show any significant differences between the seasons, except in one of the unmulched sites where there was a significant decrease from winter to summer. Using nMDS (non-metric multidimensional scaling) plots and ANOSIM (a non-parametric analysis of similarity) analysis, mulched sites showed a significant difference in community composition between the bankie and row which was not apparent in the unmulched sites. These differences were enhanced when using mean P/A (presence-absence) abundance data compared to mean abundance data. A few candidate indicator species were found, although this is dependent on the site and season. Additionally, in the shade net study a total of 17 Collembola species were identified, including six families, from all four orders. Furthermore, this study found no significant differences between shaded or unshaded orchards in terms of abundance, species richness, or diversity indices. However, a difference was found in the Collembola community composition (using nMDS plots and ANOSIM analysis) only when using combined mean P/A abundance data from both orchards, which showed a significant dissimilarity between the bankie and row communities. No indicator species were found to be indicative of either shaded or unshaded orchards as well as between the bankie and row. This study concluded that Collembola showed seasonal variation as well as that mulches maintain overall Collembola abundance and species richness within the orchard. Furthermore, Collembola community structures are only dissimilar in the mulched bankie compared to that of the work row in mulched sites, particularly leading up to summer. Collembola species richness in some cases may also be significantly different in the bankie compared to the row in mulched sites, indicating the importance of location when sampling Collembola. This study is the first detailed study of Collembola diversity in apple orchards as well as the first investigation of Collembola under shade nets in Africa, and provides important baseline knowledge for future work. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel kennis oor grondekologie wêreldwyd toeneem, is onderliggende kennis oor grondbiodiversiteit beperk in streke waar daar nie genoeg monsters geneem was nie, soos Afrika. Grond-ekosisteme is ‘n uitdagend vakrigting en die integrasie van bestaande kennis is die sleutel vir toekomstige begrip van hierdie vakrigting. Navorsing oor grond-ekosisteme het nietemin oor die afgelope dekades gewild geword en bly 'n gebied van belangstelling. Collembola, een van die volopste grondmikro-arthropoda, speel n geïntegreerde rol in grond-ekosisteme en daar is bewys dat hierdie taksa noodsaaklik is om die status van grond en die gevolge van grondgebruik te verstaan. Collembola, veral in die konteks van agro -ekosisteme, bly egter onderbestudeer. Verder bly inligting oor hul taksonomie en ekologie in Suid -Afrika beperk. Hierdie tesis het die verskille in populasie rykheid, spesierykheid en gemeenskapstruktuur van Collembola (wat as 'n model-organisme gebruik word) tussen appelboorde met en sonder ‘n organiese deklaag tydens drie seisoene ondersoek. Die studie het ook ondersoe k in gestel om moontlike aanwyserspesies ondersoek, wat nuttig kan wees om Collembola wan aanduidend is van sekere grondbestuurspraktyke te identifiseer. Verder is die uitwerking van skadunette op Collembola-diversiteit in appelboorde ook in 'n korter studie vir een seisoen ondersoek. In die deklaagstudie is 33 Collembola-spesies, insluitend 11 families, van al vier ordes oor alle terreine en seisoene geïdentifiseer. Deklaagterreine was in staat om Collembola-populasie rykheid en spesierykheid te handhaaf vanaf winter tot somer in vergelyking met terreine wat nie bedek was nie. Individuele terreine het gewissel in hul populasie-rykheid en spesierykheidstendense oor seisoene heen. Shannon -Wiener- en Simpson-indekse het geen beduidende verskille tussen die seisoene getoon nie, behalwe in een van die ongedekte terreine waar daar 'n beduidende afname van winter na somer was. Deur gebruik te maak van nMDS (nie-metriese multidimensionele skaal) plotte en ANOSIM ('n nie -parametriese ontleding van ooreenkomste) analise, het terreine met ‘n deklaag 'n beduidende verskil in gemeenskapsamestelling tussen die bankie en ry getoon wat nie sigbaar was in die ongedekte terreine nie. Hierdie verskille is versterk wanneer gemiddelde P/A (teenwoordigheid - afwesigheid) populasie-rykheid data in vergelyking met gemiddelde oorvloed data gebruik is. 'n Paar kandidaat-aanwyserspesies is gevind, alhoewel dit afhang van die terrein en seisoen. Boonop is in die skadunetstudie 'n totaal van 17 Collembola -spesies geïdentifiseer in die skadunetstudie, insluitend ses families, uit al vier ordes. Verder het hierdie studie geen beduidende verskille gevind tussen boorde met of sonder skadunette in terme van populasie-rykheid, spesierykheid of diversiteitsindekse nie. 'n Verskil is egter gevind i n die Collembola-gemeenskapsamestelling (met behulp van nMDS-persele en ANOSIM-analise) slegs wanneer gekombineerde gemiddelde P/A-oorvloeddata van beide boorde gebruik is, wat 'n beduidende verskil tussen die bankie- en rygemeenskappe getoon het. Geen aanwyserspesies was gevind vir boorde met of sonder skadunette nie, s ook niel tussen die bankie en ry nie. Hierdie studie het tot die gevolgtrekking ge lei dat Collembola seisoenale variasie getoon het asook dat deklae die algehele Collembola populasie-rykheid en spesierykheid binne die boord handhaaf. Verder is Collembola-gemeenskapstrukture net verskillend in die deklaagbankie in vergelyking met dié van die werkry in deklaagpersele, veral in die aanloop tot somer. Collembola-spesierykheid kan in sommige gevalle ook aansienlik verskil in die bankie in vergelyking met die werkry in deklaagpersele, wat die belangrikheid van ligging aandui wanneer Collembola monsters geneem word. Hierdie studie is die eerste gedetailleerde studie van Collembola-diversiteit in appelboorde sowel as die eerste ondersoek van Collembola onder skadunette in Afrika, en verskaf belangrike onderliggende kennis vir toekomstige werk. Masters 2023-03-07T21:18:10Z 2023-08-30T13:10:26Z 2023-03-07 2023-03-07T21:18:10Z 2023-08-31T09:18:49Z 2023-03-07T21:18:10Z 2023-08-31T09:18:49Z 2023-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/128475 en Stellenbosch University xiv, 114 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Collembola -- Ecology Apples -- Growth Soil management -- Environmental aspects Mulching -- Environmental aspects Plant-soil relationships Soils -- Health Agroecosystems -- Monitoring UCTD Jacobs, Abdul Ghaseeb Soil health in deciduous fruits: the development of Collembola as key indicators |
| title | Soil health in deciduous fruits: the development of Collembola as key indicators |
| title_full | Soil health in deciduous fruits: the development of Collembola as key indicators |
| title_fullStr | Soil health in deciduous fruits: the development of Collembola as key indicators |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soil health in deciduous fruits: the development of Collembola as key indicators |
| title_short | Soil health in deciduous fruits: the development of Collembola as key indicators |
| title_sort | soil health in deciduous fruits the development of collembola as key indicators |
| topic | Collembola -- Ecology Apples -- Growth Soil management -- Environmental aspects Mulching -- Environmental aspects Plant-soil relationships Soils -- Health Agroecosystems -- Monitoring UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/128475 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jacobsabdulghaseeb soilhealthindeciduousfruitsthedevelopmentofcollembolaaskeyindicators |