Advances in Environment Technologies, Agriculture, Food and Animal Science

Researches Regarding the Beneficial and Pest Fauna of Invertebrate in the Corn Agricultural Ecosystem in ( County)

IULIANA ANTONIE1, TRAIAN MANOLE2 1Department the Agricultural Sciences and the Engineering of the Food Product “ Lucian Blaga” University Sibiu 7-9 Dr. Ion Raţiu, 550012 e-mail: [email protected] 2 Research-Development Institute for Plant Protection 8 Ion Ionescu de la Brad Bvd, District 1 ROMANIA e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: - The researches regarding the beneficial and pest fauna of invertebrate in the corn agricultural ecosystem in Poplaca (Sibiu County) is part of a pioneer work in our country and regarding the county is a beginning. The agricultural fauna provides clues regarding the health of the soil, of the culture as well as of the man, being one of the aims of the ecological genesis. We emphasize the ecologic functions from the trophic chains done by every species within the agricultural ecosystem. These fall into two groups: pest and beneficial species. Their ratio indicates the equilibrium or on the contrary the no equilibrium state which imposes the application of proper amelioration measures. The researches contribute to the raise of the theoretic and practical patrimony regarding the structure and biologic ecology of the fauna in the soil and in the future it will be a biologic index having a role in the health evaluation of the soil with an effect in doing a quick diagnosis in the field.

Key-Words: useful fauna, pest fauna, corn agricultural system

1 Introduction In Romania data regarding the biodiversity of the The soil represents the unique and strategic natural fauna in the soil of the corn culture can be found in resource being the essential support of life. The the works of the following authors: Antonie & biologic properties of the soil are still weakly Spânu [1], Antonie & coworkers [2, 3], Costea understood although their relations with the physical &coworkers [4,5], Grozea [6], Mărgărit & and chemical properties of this, with the health of coworkers [7,8], Neacşu [9], Petrache [10]. the plants and the quality of the food are obviously The novelty of the researches stands in the important. The invertebrates in the soil play an interest for the invertebrates’ fauna in the soil of the essential role in the decomposition of the organic corn culture in the Sibiu County and also by the fact and in the circle of the nutritive elements, being that till present there hasn’t been any study referring important indexes of the soil. The change of the to the structure and biology of the beneficial and biologic diversity of the organisms in the soil can pest fauna in this agricultural ecosystem. The give indexes of the deterioration or the rehabilitation biodiversity of the arthropods in the soil presents an of the soil. agronomic interest, by knowing the level of the Taking into consideration the entering of populations of the pest species or of those having a Romania in the European Community, there can be pest potential. They integrate the relations of these seen a larger interest for the preservation of the with the useful species and allow the understanding biologic diversity of fauna in the soil, sustained of the category of species with an entomophaguos concerns for the management of the protection of role and also of those with a decomposed role. the plants against the pest and the protection, through different methods of the biologic diversity of the beneficial fauna. Being a difficult theme it 2 Material and Methods hasn’t brought too many participants at its approach.

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The sampling of the beneficial and pest fauna but especially during the experiment year (2012) by was done in the corn agricultural ecosystem during systematic drought, a profound one that influenced April, June, September and October 2012. The in the highest degree and negatively the cereal locality where the investigations took place was production all over Sibiu County. The structure of Poplaca (Sibiu County). the biodiversity of the invertebrates in the soil and There were done three types of maps for the on the soil of the corn cultures was directly and researched agricultural ecosystem; 1. Spatial maps powerful influenced by this command factor. Google Earth; assembly and detailed view; 2. LPIS In the tables 1-8 there were identified the taxonomic maps (survey) – map APIA type (photo plan) at a and quantity structure of the collected fauna through scale of 1: 2500, 1:5000 and 1:1000. There can be the two methods in the corn agricultural ecosystem recognized the researched plot after the name of the in Poplaca during April, June, September and physic block 795 (Poplaca). 3. The plan of the October 2012. agricultural plot from the City Hall, the part named “Iancu’s Plot) is the part researched in Poplaca. Table 1 Regarding the technologic impact in Poplaca The taxonomic and quantitative structure of the there was used a classic crop rotation wheat-corn, collected fauna through the soil drilling method using a hybrid of great productivity and relatively Poplaca locality (Sibiu County) – April resistant at illnesses and pest (Pioneer PR 38A24). It Order Numerical Relative th was sown early (25 April 2012) and having a plant Abundance Abundance density at a hectare over average, but the soil can be Haplotaxida 34 47,23 framed in the unsuitable category for the Isopoda 1 1,39 agricultural technique of the corn. The texture of the Julida 1 1,39 soil is clay and sand (medium). The technology is a Polydesmida 1 1,39 combination with elements having an intensive Scolopendromorpha 1 1,39 character with those characteristic for the Geophilomorpha 2 2,78 traditional, organic agriculture. The methods used for sampling were as follows: Aranea 2 2,78 1. Pitfall traps (Barber traps) assembled at the soil Hymenoptera 7 9,73 level in order of collecting the epigeal fauna. As Coleoptera 19 26,36 attractant and preserver was used a formaldehyde Diptera 3 4,17 4%. The time for this kind of trap was of 48 hours Lepidoptera 1 1,39 after installation, being placed 10 traps. TOTAL 72 100,00 2. Soil drilling. This represent a quantitative method Order Family Genus Species of evaluation of the reserve of beneficial and pest 11 15 18 18 arthropods estimating the density or the relative abundance of some stadiums (egg, larva, pupae, Table 2 imago) in the development of these organisms. The taxonomic and quantitative structure of the During our researches we chose the digging of ten collected fauna through the Pitfall Traps Poplaca pits in the researched area. This kind of surveying locality (Sibiu County) – April had the surface of 25/25 cm and the depth of 30 cm. Order Numerical Relative The collected fauna from each drilling was a Abundance Abundance sample. The sampling material was researched and Julida 1 1,13 analyzed from the quantity and quality point of view Acari 1 1,13 in the labs of The Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aranea 19 21,34 Food Industry and Protection of the Environment in Homoptera 1 1,13 Sibiu. Hymenoptera 54 60,68

Coleoptera 12 13,53

Diptera 1 1,13 3 Results and Discussions TOTAL 88 100,00 For the corn culture taking into consideration his Order Family Genus Species tropic and subtropical origin, the humidity 7 13 15 12 represents one of the command factors of first importance both for growing as well as mainly for obtaining values of optimum productivity. The area chosen for experiment was affected in the last years,

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Table 3 9 12 18 16 The taxonomic and quantitative structure of the collected fauna through the soil drilling method Table 6 Poplaca locality (Sibiu County) – June The taxonomic and quantitative structure of the Order Numerical Relative collected fauna through the Pitfall Traps Abundance Abundance Poplaca locality (Sibiu County) – September Geophilomorpha 8 17,40 Order Numerical Relative Polydesmida 1 2,18 Abundance Abundance Lithobiomorpha 1 2,18 Julida 4 2,59 Hymenoptera 7 15,21 Acari 10 6,46 Coleoptera 29 63,10 Aranea 23 14,84 TOTAL 46 100,00 Colembola 54 34,82 Order Family Genus Species Heteroptera 8 5,16 5 7 14 14 Hymenoptera 11 7,10 Coleoptera 27 17,41 Table 4 Diptera 18 11,62 The taxonomic and quantitative structure of the TOTAL 155 100,00 collected fauna through the Pitfall Traps Order Family Genus Species Poplaca locality (Sibiu County) – June 8 18 21 17 Order Numerical Relative Abundance Abundance Table 7 Lithobiomorpha 1 0,49 The taxonomic and quantitative structure of the Acari 11 5,39 collected fauna through the soil drilling method Aranea 16 7,84 Poplaca locality (Sibiu County) – October Collembola 62 30,39 Order Numerical Relative Orthoptera 1 0,49 Abundance Abundance Homoptera 1 0,49 Haplotaxida 1 2,32 Heteroptera 2 0,98 Geophilomorpha 1 2,32 Hymenoptera 86 42,16 Aranea 2 4,65 Coleoptera 23 11,28 Hymenoptera 30 69,77 Diptera 1 0,49 Coleoptera 7 16,28 TOTAL 204 100,00 Diptera 2 4,66 Order Family Genus Species TOTAL 43 100,00 10 16 23 21 Order Family Genus Species 6 11 12 10 Table 5 The taxonomic and quantitative structure of the Table 8 collected fauna through the soil drilling method The taxonomic and quantitative structure of the Poplaca locality (Sibiu County) – September collected fauna through the Pitfall Traps Order Numerical Relative Poplaca locality (Sibiu County) – October Abundance Abundance Order Numerical Relative Haplotaxida 13 15,29 Abundance Abundance Isopoda 3 3,52 Aranea 4 16 Julida 3 3,52 Homoptera 1 4 Polydesmida 5 5,88 Hymenoptera 12 48 Geophilomorpha 1 1,17 Coleoptera 6 24 Acari 4 4,70 Diptera 2 8 Aranea 12 14,11 TOTAL 25 100,00 Hymenoptera 26 30,68 Order Family Genus Species Coleoptera 18 21,13 5 8 11 8 TOTAL 85 100,00 Order Family Genus Species

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We want to notice that in the researched corn agricultural ecosystem (technology with elements of Artropoda 20% organic agriculture) the fauna in the soil was better represented and more diverse than the collected fauna through the Pitfall Traps. In the case of the soil fauna dominant were the Alte nevertebrate populations of annelid from Haplotaxida order and 7% the species from Coleopteron order (Figure 1). In Insecta the case of the mobile fauna dominant were the 73% populations from Hymenoptera order fallowed by the Aranea and Coleopteron species (Figure 2). In the case of the experiments in Poplaca Fig. 3. The structure of the dominant populations of (organic agriculture) the fauna structure of the the collected invertebrate fauna through the two invertebrates was a complex one comprising species methods in the corn cultures in Poplaca area –Sibiu from 17 taxonomic orders. From the dominant County. invertebrates there were the spider populations from

Aranea order and those of annelid from Haplotaxida In the table 9 there is presented the list of the order. identified invertebrate species in the experimental The structure of the components of the corn field. From the trophic and inhabited areas biodiversity of the global fauna is presented in point of view there they fall in beneficial and pest Figure 3. The populations of soil insects and from species, taking into account the relations with the the surface of the soil were dominant with a corn plant as well as the relations with other percentage of 73%, followed by the arthropod cultivated plants in the neighborhood or with species (20%) and other invertebrates (7%). spontaneous plants that were adjacent to the corn

culture. 50 45 We noticed that the dominant populations were 40 35 the insects and their number was highly influenced 30 25 by the agricultural technology, by the type of the 20 15 soil and by other microclimate factors, from which, 10 5 in Poplaca case are to be mentioned mainly the wind 0 and the air currents. The study is not completed;

Julida Isopoda Diptera many species couldn’t be registered because of the Coleoptera Haplotaxida Lepidoptera Polydesmida Hymenoptera Geophilomorpha limits of the used techniques, which call for further Scolopendromorpha investigations with better methods. The number of Fig. 1. The structure of the invertebrate fauna in the the identified invertebrates was 71. corn culture in Poplaca locality – Sibiu County (soil drilling method) Table 9 The taxonomic structure of the invertebrate fauna that was present in the collected samples through 70 both techniques from the experimental field in 60 Poplaca – Sibiu County 50 Number Number Species 40 1 Lumbricus terestris L.* 30

20 2 Allolobophora caliginosa L.*

10 3 Fredericia bulbosa Rosa*

0 4 Bryobia rubrioculus Scheut.+ Julida Acari Aranea Homoptera Hymenoptera Coleoptera Diptera 5 Hypoaspis aculeifer Canest.* Fig. 2. The structure of the invertebrate fauna in the 6 Amblyseius degenerans Berlese* corn culture in Poplaca locality – Sibiu County 7 Pardosa lugubris Clerk.* (Pitfall Traps method) 8 Blaniulus guttulatus Bosch.*

9 Chromatoiulus unilineatus Koch.* 10 Polydesmus complanatus L.* 11 Scolopendra cingulata Latr.*

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12 Geophilus flavus De Geer * 63 Bembidion tibiale Duft.* 13 Lithobius forficatus L.* 64 Clivina fossor L.* 14 Porcelio scaber L.* 65 Poecilus cupreus L.* 15 Entomobryia arborea Tullb* 66 Asaphidion (Tachypus) flavipes L.* 16 Bourletiella pruinosa Tullb* 67 Zabrus tenebrioides Goeze+ 17 Tomocerus minor Tullb* 68 Otiorrhynchus morio F.+ 18 Sminthurus viridis L.* 69 Apion apricans Herbst.+ 19 Folsomia fimetaria L.* 70 Agrotis segetum Den. & Schiff.+ 20 Ceratophysella bengtssoni Agren* 71 Agromyza nana Meig.+ 21 Hypogastrura manubrialis Tullb.* Where *beneficial fauna +pest fauna 22 Melanogryllus desertus Pall.+ An indicator of great importance for the state of 23 Gryllus campestris L.+ the structural and functional parameters of a 24 Macrosteles sexnotatus Fall.+ biocoenosis belonging to the inhabited ecosystems 25 Macrosteles laevis Rib.+ with often modifications of the entrances in the 26 Adelphocoris lineolatus Goeze.+ system (input), modifications that represent the 27 Adelphocoris seticornis F.+ variation of some factors of pressure and command 28 Leptoterna dolobrata L.+ upon the biodiversity components of some instable 29 Formica rufa L.* ecosystems, is represented, in the case of the 30 Lasius niger L.* researches done in the experimental field in Poplaca by the ratio, in percentage of the relative abundance 31 Lasius fuliginosus Latr.* FU/FD, that means the represented percentage, 32 Myrmica rubra L.* mainly by the beneficial fauna from the total of the 33 Aleochara ruficornis Grav.* relative abundance of the invertebrates in the soil 34 Stenus carbonarius Gyll.* and on the soil of the corn cultures from the 35 Ocalea picata Steph.* researched agricultural ecosystem. 36 Medon melanocephalus F.* We want to notice the positive fact that this 37 Oxypoda vittata Märk.* structural parameter expressing from the quantity 38 Stilicus subtilis Er.* point of view a certain configuration of the structure 39 Cantharis fusca L.* of the trophic chains or of the trophic dynamic 40 Agriotes lineatus L.+ modules of the populations of invertebrates that are 41 Agriotes pilosus L.+ characteristic for that biocoenosis, the ratio FU/FD 42 Athous sacheri Kies.+ had positive values. The weight of the beneficial 43 Athous niger L.+ component in the structure of the biodiversity of the 44 Melanotus rufipes L.+ populations of invertebrate in the experimental corn 45 Halyzia 14-punctata L.* cultures in Poplaca was 78% to 22% of pest fauna 46 Chaetocnema tibialis Illig.+ 47 Phyllotreta atra F.+ 48 Phyllotreta vittula Redt.+ 4 Conclusion 49 Opatrum sabulosum L.+ The samples collected from the experimental field 50 Pentodon idiota Herbst.+ comprised invertebrate from the following 51 Melolontha melolontha L.+ taxonomic 6 classes: Annelida, Arachnida, 52 Anoxia villosa L.+ Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Crustacea and Insecta; 17 53 Byrrhus pilula L.* order: Haplotaxida, Aranea, Acari, Lithobiomorpha, 54 Atomaria prolixa Er.* Scolopendromorpha, Geophilomorpha, Julida, 55 Amphicyllis globiformis Sahlb.* Polydesmida, Isopoda, Collembola, Orthoptera, 56 Harpalus distinguendus Duft.* Homoptera, Heteroptera, Hymenoptera, 57 Harpalus pubescens Müll.* Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera families; 117 58 Harpalus calceatus Duft.* genus; 71 determined species. 59 Microlestes maurus Strm.* The present data afford us to establish the fact 60 Tachys quadrisignatus Duft.* that the inhabited agricultural systems, also named ecosystems are unstable systems, which in order to 61 Pterostichus niger Schall.* maintain the biologic productivity of different 62 Pterostichus cylindricus Herbst.* cultures of agricultural plants, specially cereals,

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need a lot of interventions and variations of the 2005, Lucrările celei de-a 8–a Conferinţe command factors, through enters of energy and raw Naţionale pentru Protecţia Mediului prin materials (input), the dynamic equilibrium of these Biotehnologii şi a celei de-a 5-a Conferinţă being conditioned by the controlled variations of the Naţională de Ecosanogeneză cu participre pressure factors, which produce, in time, a certain Internaţională, Fascicola I, Agricultura şi impact upon the biodiversity structure of Silvicultura, Univ. Transilvania, Braşov, 2007, invertebrate belonging to the biocoenosis of the pp. 230-235. ecosystems and the adjacent structures; [5] Costea, Georgeta, Ciochia, V., Mărgărit, Gr., The degree of impact is corresponding to the Structura faunei utile şi fitofage din solul level or intensity of the pressure, in time and space culturii de porumb din localitatea Clinceni, jud. of the command factors, natural or human ones, Ilfov în anul 2006, Analele I.C.C.P.T. which act upon the density of the biologic Fundullea, vol. LXIX, 2007, pp. 39-46. populations characterized for these ecosystems [6] Grozea, Ioana, Western corn rootworm (WCR), (biotope and biocoenosis); Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte – Within this study regarding the agricultural several years of research in western part of system in Poplaca the impact of applied technology Romania, Bulletin U.A.S.V.M. Agriculture, upon the biodiversity of the communities of Cluj-Napoca, vol.67, nr.1, 2007, pp. 122-129. invertebrate was amplified by the maintenance of [7] Mărgărit Gr., Hondru., Trotuş Elena, Siriţianu high values of the natural command factor and Carmen, Cercetări asupra structurii şi namely the excessive drought that persisted during abundenţei viermilor sârmă (Coleopter: the last three years, correlated with the non irrigated Elateridae) în diferite culturi agricole din zona system in which the corn was cultivated on the Secuieni-Neamţ, Probleme de Protecţia experimental plot; Plantelor, I.C.C.P.T Fundulea, vol. XXVI, nr. On the assembly the ratio of the beneficial/pest 1, 1998, pp. 33-37. fauna (FU/FD) was positive in the favor of the [8] Mărgărit, Gr., Hondru, N., Marin, Al., Coman, beneficial fauna that indicates the maintenance of N., 1998, Influenţa culturilor şi a tipurilor de the structural and functional parameters of the sol asupra complexelor de nevertebrate din ecosystems at values above the level of the weight stratul arabil din judeţul Buzău, An. ICCP of the beneficial from the total of collected fauna Bucureşti, vol. XXIX, 1998, pp. 51-61. was of 78%. [9] Neacsu, Georgeta, Contributii la cunoasterea structurii si biologiei entomofaunei fitofage si References: entomofage din agroecosistemele de porumb [1] Antonie, Iuliana, Spânu, Simona, 2010, (Zea mays) din zona Bucurestiului si Researches regarding the species Diabrotica imprejurimi, Teza de doctorat, Universitatea virgifera virgifela Le Conte in Sibiu county, Bucuresti, Facultatea de biologie, Cond. St. Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences prof. univ. dr. Victor Ciochia, 2011. and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, [10] Petrache, T., Cercetari privind bioecologia Agriculture, 2010, vol. 67, nr.1, pp 12-19. daunatorului Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le [2] Antonie Iuliana, Manole T., Stanciu Mirela, Conte si manifestarea atacului asupra unor 2012, The Impact of the Agricultural genotipuri de porumb, in conditiile din Campia Technology upon the Biodiversity of the de Vest a tarii, Teza de doctorat, USAMV Arthropods Present in the Corn Culture in Sibiu Timisoara, Facultatea de Horticultura, Cond. Country, Journal of Horticulture, Forest and St. prof. univ. dr. Nedelea Petrache, 2006. Biotechnology, vol. 16, nr.3, 2012, pp 7-12. [3] Antonie Iuliana, Pavel Petronela, Tănase Maria, Sand Camelia, The Indicators of the Soils and Their Importance upon the Entomologic Fauna in the Corn Culture in Copşa Mică – Axente Sever (Sibiu County), Buletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Agriculture, vol. 69, nr. 20, 2012, pp. 177-181. [4] Costea, Georgeta, Ciochia, V., Mărgărit, Gr., Structura faunei utile şi fitofage din cultura de porumb, zona Bucureşti şi imprejurimi, anul

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