Ecosystems &Biodiversity

Soil Ecosystems

Practical 1 Soil ecosystems - soil biota and food webs

Reading
Coyne M.S. 1999. Soil Microbiology. Delmar Publishers. Ch. 4 The macrofauna. Soil Biology Primer [online]. http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/ Chapter 1 The soil food web Chapter 2 The food web and soil health also check the DSO Resources folder for other references.

Introduction
An ecosystem is made up of plants, animals (biodiversity) and abiotic factors which work together to capture, store and transfer energy, nutrients and water. For example plants capture energy via photosynthesis and energy is stored as carbohydrates in plants or fats and proteins in animals after they have eaten the plants. Soil organisms break down plant and animal tissues and transfer the energy to themselves, while returning nutrients to the soil for uptake by plants. The many organisms in an ecosystem carry out these ecosystem functions, and the more diverse an ecosystem is, the more stable and reliable are these functions. The soil provides a good, easily studied example of an ecosystem.

The Task Assessing macrofauna

1.1
Macrofauna accelerate the rate of organic matter decomposition. They break

organic material into smaller pieces, and mix organic matter with soil. However, the relative numbers of macrofauna to microfauna in the soil is small. Collect a sample of the leaf litter (O Horizon) and topsoil (A Horizon no deeper than about 3cm) from two different locations. Choose from lawn, native vegetation, garden bed, under different species of tree etc. or other distinctive site. Place the sample in plastic bags, seal them and label them with your name and the collection location. At each site, record

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Soil Ecosystems

the type of vegetation at the site (eg. forest, swamp, lawn etc.) and some of the site characteristics in the table below, then use this to compare the soil habitat of the two sites. If you do not have the equipment necessary (eg. pH kit or soil penetrometer), skip that characteristic.

Site Characteristic Site 1 type of vegetation level of shade soil dryness/dampness soil pH soil compactness soil texture (sandy, heavy clay etc)

Site 2

On return to the lab, mix the soil and leaf litter sample from the same location thoroughly. Put a known volume of one sample in the Tulgren funnel. Leave it for about 2 days, then remove the preserving jar containing ethanol and screw on the lid. Place the sample from the second location in the Tulgren funnel, and remove after about 2 days, following the same procedure. If you know the volume of soil you examined, you will be able to directly compare the macrofauna abundance between the two sites.

Tulgren-type funnels for the extraction of soil fauna

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Soil Ecosystems

1.2

From the bags, examine a measured volume of the leaf litter (O Horizon) and the

topsoil (A Horizon) using a microscope or hand lense. Remove any fauna found to a clean jar or petri dish for identification. Identify all organisms to Order if possible, but at least put them into different groups (ie. group A no legs worms; group B 8 legs spiders and mites etc.). Count the number of individuals from each Order or group. If you have large numbers you may need to estimate the number rather than try to count them all.

1.3
(a) larger macrofauna number @ location 1
soil volume = ____

Macrofauna Order or group

number @ location 2
soil volume = ____

1.4

Empty the contents of the collecting jar into a petri dish, and identify as many

organisms as possible to Order or group. Count the number of individuals from each Order or group (as far as possible).

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Soil Ecosystems

(b) smaller macrofauna Macrofauna Order or group number @ location 1

soil volume = ____

number @ location 2
soil volume = ____

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Soil Ecosystems

1.5

Use the results from both counts (1.2 and 1.3) and calculate the number of Orders

or groups per litre of soil and leaf litter, and the numbers of individuals from each Order or group per litre of soil and leaf litter. Macrofauna number of Orders or groups per litre of soil/litter eg. no. individuals of no. individuals of no. individuals of group B per litre of soil/litter per litre of soil/litter per litre of soil/litter 15 7 location 1 location 2

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Soil Ecosystems

Your Report - Explaining the role of the soil biota

Your report should have a title, a brief introduction explaining what the prac is about, and a brief discussion (about 600 words) of the following questions. You must also include a summary table of your results. This report can be written as a question and answer style, but it must be correctly referenced.

How did the diversity (number of groups and number of individuals) of macrofauna
from the soils from the two locations differ ? Can you suggest why there might be differences. What soil parameters could you have measured which may help explain the differences ?

Explain the role of macrofauna in the soil. On the food web diagram provided, label the type of biota (eg. fungi, nematode
etc.). what they do (predator, leaf shredder etc) and describe which way the energy flows eg. where does it first get captured and where does it finish (ie. the top of the food chain). What happens to the energy and nutrients when the organisms at the top of the food chain die? Include this diagram with your report.

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Soil Ecosystems

What groups of organisms make up the mesofauna ? What groups make up the
microfauna? What are the main functions of these two main groups ?

Food webs can indicate the biological complexity, and therefore the health, of the
soil. Explain how our land management practices alter soil health.

Explain how the soil biota contribute to the functioning of the soil ecosystem. What
ecosystem services do they regulate ?
Due Date Check the Assessment Details File for the date. This report is worth 10% of your total mark.