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Soil Mesofauna Soil Mesofauna Field Studies Council, Juniper Hall, February – March 2013 Welcome • Domestics – fire, accommodation etc. • Course objectives • Your tutors • Course timetable • Questions? Course Objectives • Appreciate the range, ecology and function of soil organisms • Get to know a range of water-dwelling soil organisms • Be able to identify nematode functional feeding groups (trophic guilds) • Understand springtails anatomy and ecology. • Be able to identify springtails to species. • Understanding mites anatomy and ecology. • Ability to identify soil mites to family level. • Know how to collect, handle and preserve soil mesofauna. • Develop your microscopy skills • Understand how soil mesofauna are monitored, recorded, and explored using genetic techniques • Appreciate the range of ID resources available and where to get help and support. • Develop links with other soil mesofauna people Who we are: • Dr Matthew Shepherd: Soil biodiversity specialist, Natural England – overview, help and general dogsbody! • Dr Felicity Crotty: Soil Invertebrate Research Scientist, Aberystwyth University • Dr Peter Shaw: Senior Lecturer in Biosciences, University of Roehampton • Pete Boardman: Invertebrate Challenge Project Officer Course Timetable Friday 27th March – Introduction, Soil Life, Microscopes • 12:00 Arrive, check-in etc • 13:00 Introduction to the course, content and domestics • 13:15 Introduction to soil biodiversity and ecology • 14:15 Field collecting of soil/litter mesofauna • 15:45 Tea • 16:00 Tullgren funnels, microscopes, and ID of broad groups of mesofauna. • 19:00 Dinner • 19:45 Recording, resources and support networks – Pete Boardman • 20:30 End Course Timetable Saturday 28th March – Collembola Day • 09:00 Introduction to Collembola – Dr Peter Shaw • 10:00 Field collection – vaccuum sampling • 11:00 Coffee • 11:30 Entomobryomorpha (talk and practical) • 13:00 lunch • 14:00 Entomobryomorpha contd. • 15:30 Symphypleona (talk and practical as above) • 16:15 Tea • 16:30 Poduromorpha (talk and practical as above) • 18:00 Dinner • 19:00 Nematodes, moss piglets and other soil water beasties • 20:00 End Course Timetable Sunday 29th March – Mites • 09:00 Introduction to Acari - Dr Felicity Crotty • 10:30 Mesostigmata – talk and practical session • 11:30 Coffee • 11:45 Mesostigmata - continued • 13:00 Lunch • 14:00 Oribatida (including Astigmatina) – talk and practical session • 16:30 Prostigmata – talk and practical session • 18:00 Dinner • 19:00 Monitoring soil mesofauna and genetic barcoding Course Timetable • Monday 30th March Meso-Mini-Bioblitz • 09:00 The morning’s challenge – to identify, quantify, record, all soil mesofauna from a complete soil core (or 2!) • 11:15 Coffee • 11:30 Plenary and feedback • 12:00 Depart Any questions or problems? • Matthew – 07866 680786 • FSC contact…. Introduction to Soil Biology Soil Biology • What is soil? • Soil organisms – a tour • What soil life does for us • What we do to soil life • Conservation of soil biodiversity Soils – the beginning... Photos: M Shepherd Image: reconstructionDrawings: Aberdeen of first Universityland plants after in ordovician,Scourfield (1940a, Jose Bonner b) and HirstCC BY 1923-SA 3.0 What is soil? Photo: Matthew Shepherd Soil Organisms • Organisms living entire life in soil? • Many groups have above-ground lives too! • Include litter, dead wood, standing dead wood? • Dirt – what accumulates when you don’t clean! • Useful to divide soil/non soil organisms? • In practice “soil organisms” are the neglected ones! Biomass and numbers Image: Karl Ritz, Cranfield University Biomass and numbers In a handful of soil... HEXAPODS Image: Karl Ritz, Cranfield University Photo: Matthew Shepherd Photo: Matthew Shepherd Types of Soil Organisms • Huge diversity - soil is home to ¼ of all species on earth • Soil biologists frequently group organisms in terms of their broad function: – Chemical Engineers – Biological Regulators – Ecosystem Engineers Soil Organisms • Chemical Engineers – Break down organic materials – Fix nutrients – Tend to be tiny – Influenced by small-scale factors – Can be quick to respond to management Soil Organisms • Biological Regulators – Influence other soil organisms through trophic processes – Turn organic matter into dung – humus. – Affected by larger scale factors (eg cow pat, plant litter) – More stable numbers (months/years) • Microfauna : protozoa, nematodes, rotifers, tardigrades... • Mesofauna: hexapods, mites, isopods, myriapods. Soil Organisms • Ecosystem Engineers – make large-scale changes in soil – Moving, breaking down or aggregating soil and organic matter – Digesting and excreting soil • All 3 types interact to influence soil structure and function Some ecological principles for soil • Variable over very short distances and times • High habitat heterogeneity = high biological diversity • Adding resources seems to increase diversity – by increasing heterogeneity? • Many soil organisms show widespread distributions – driven by resource, rather than dispersal – “Everything Is Everywhere” and “The Environment Selects” • High “background” diversity – dormant organisms waiting for a break… • Lots seem to do the same job – functional redundancy – is biodiversity important? Soil Organisms Plants • Plants are soil organisms too! • Roots break up soil structure and enlarge pores • Plant-fixed C is sole energy source driving the whole system • litter from above and below ground • roots – exudates • Soil organisms also a major influence on plants... Myxobacteria photo: Michiel Vos doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0030398 Photo: GrahamColm at en.wikipedia Bacteria Photo: Julia Plotnikov Bacteria & Archaea • Tiny chemical engineers • Rapid reproduction - can make use of sudden resource availability • Dormancy • Form biofilms • Hate fungi • Team up with plants Firmicutes Photo: Wikimedia commons Photo: Matthew Shepherd Fungi • Long hyphae through soil – long distances and large volumes • Damaged by disturbance • Reproduction can be slow • Energy efficient – like tough energy sources • Hate bacteria • Team up with plants... Ectomycorrhizae Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Protozoa • Single celled eukaryotes. • Predators of microbes • Aquatic – swim with cilia or flagella, or just ooze! • Bioindicators – if you can ID them! • Testate amoeba fossils can indicate past hydrology in peats. Nematodes • 28,000 species described – 441 soil species in UK • Swim through soil water • Different mouthparts indicate feeding strategy – “trophic guild” • Can feed on roots, fungi, bacteria, organic matter or other soil organisms - can be pests, or control them • Good indicators of microbial biomass? Rotifers and Tardigrades • Microscopic multicellular organisms in soil water • Both can dry out completely then “come back to life” • Rotifers swim or loop through soil – no sex for 40 million years! • Tardigrades – “moss piglets” - 8 legged, tough – picked on by scientists! Acari - Mites Springtails - Collembola And the rest... Symphyla Flies Thrips Photo: Michel Vuijlsteke Bristletails (diplura) Coneheads (protura) Pauropods Beetles Booklice (psocids) Pseudoscorpions Isopods • ~37 spp. in the UK –not just wood • Vernacular names • Can be major decomposers of soil organic matter • Crustaceans – now joined by land amphipod Myriapods Photo: B Kimmel at nl.wikipedia Ecosystem Engineers – Worms • Big (earthworms) and little (enchytraeids) • Enchytraeids like acid organic soils, most earthworms prefer neutral/basic Earthworms Epigeic Endogeic Anecic Compost worms Earthworms Vertebrates • Moles, rabbits, voles, badgers also major engineers of the soil • Kingfishers, toads, lizards • The vertebrate with the greatest impact on soil is... Us! What do we want from our soil? Photo: waterboards.ca.gov Photo: Tom Powers, University of Nebraska Lincoln Policy Background – Ecosystem Services Soil on strike? Policy Background – Ecosystem Services Soil’s Work • “the biological engine of the earth” • Engines need fuel… Illustrations: Matthew Shepherd What does the soil do? • Plant carbon is the fuel • Soil organisms are the engine… Illustrations: Matthew Shepherd Soil structure • Most soils wouldn’t have structure without soil life • How? Like a morning in a playgroup! Moving Painting Photo: Matthew Shepherd Gluing Eating Sewing Image: Karl Ritz, Cranfield University Photo: Matthew Shepherd Photo: Joseph Morton, West Virginia University Soil structure Wright, S. F. et al. Changes in Aggregate Stability and Concentration of Glomalin during Tillage Management Transition Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 1999. 63:1825–1829. Decomposition AND C storage? CO2 CO2 CO2 Decomposition… … and C storage… and water retention Water Infiltration Smashed and structured Drainage • Bioturbation provides resilience to compaction • Earthworm burrows can be important drainage feature – 2m deep! • Loss of deep- burrowing worms can double runoff Soil Function • Water retention and release? – Deeper root penetration – Humus – Mycorrhizal fungi Soil Function • Nutrient cycling and storage – Right time – spring and autumn – Right place – near the roots Nutrient Release C N C N C N C N C N C N What we do to them • Low inputs of C to soil = no fuel to support soil life. • Disturbance – kills big ones, and causes loss of soil C • Compaction – less space to live and air to breathe! • Erosion/building over – total habitat loss! • Soil life is tough! Soil structure • Most soils wouldn’t have structure without soil life • How? Like a morning in a playgroup! Painting Moving Gluing Eating Sewing Drainage • Soil structure contributes to drainage
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