Effetti sulla biodiversità di artropodi e nematodi

Silvia Landi and Gianni Bettini

Collaborators: Giada d’Errico, Barbara Gargani, Giuseppe Mazza, Stefania Simoncini, Giulia Torrini and Pio Federico Roversi. External help: Giorgio Catani and Sauro Visconti Soil biodiversity Over 1000 species of invertebrates can be found in 1 m2 of European beech forest (Schaefer and Schauermann, 1990).

Nematodes - belonging to Micro and Mesofauna

Microarthropods - Carabids - belonging belonging to to Macrofauna Mesofauna Nematodes – the most important secondary consumers within the soil fauna Nematodes live in every cm3 of soil or sediment Represent and occupy the interstitial trophically spaces. heterogeneous groups, thus they are a central element of the soil food There are 19000 species web. descripted in water and terrestrial ecosystems Omnivores Predators

About half of these species are free- living nematodes, Bacterial the other ones are Fungal feeders Plant parasitic feeders nematodes plant or animal The cycling of nutrients in the soil is controlled by nematodes, parasites. mainly by stimulating microbial growth when feeding on them. Microarthropods – destroyers of organic matter

Large springtails and epigean mites

Diptera larvae

Microarthropod roles in food web : Diptera larvae, isopoda. -Shredding of plant residues -Destruction of organic matter and its translocation -Microflora and micro fauna dispersion -Micro and mesofauna predation Small springtails and, oribatids. Springtails – 7.500 species descripted Mites – 50.000 species descripted Carabids – the most predators of soil 4000 species in the world, in Italy 1300 The Carabid are geophilous epigeal whose spatial distribution and whose morphological and ecological characteristics (e.g. wing morphology, diet and body length) are strongly influenced by physical parameters (e.g.: humidity, temperature) and chemicals Abax Percus (pH, concentration of metals) in the soil, this Most carabids are polyphagous predators. However, some species are more makes these insects indicators of the effects of specialized, such as the Notiophilus that environmental changes (e.g. soil heating, feed on Collembola and the Siagona that feed on ants management and pollution) on soils and humus forms. The zoophagous species (e.g. Poecilus, Sterophus, Brachinus, Anchomenus) play an important role by predation many species of Notiophilini - Notiophilus phytophagous insects.

The decline of the Carabidae in the last century in Europe and the role of these Coleoptera as predators of pests and as the prey of many Vertebrates makes the knowledge of their spatial distribution in Carabus relation to human activities a priority. Many species have lost the ability to fly Soil fauna roles in the ecosystem services

- Free living "The multiple nematodes benefits provided (including bacterial by ecosystems to feeders, fungal the human well- feeders, omnivores being" and predators). - Microarthropods (Millennium - Macroarthropods Ecosystem Assessment, 2005) .

Forest management must contribute Predators (including nematodes, some orders to the animal of microarthropods and biodiversity Carabids) / plant conservation parasitic nematodes and insect phytophagous Aim – evaluation of two different thinnings on soil animal biodiversity

DB – Thinning from below DS – Selective thinning C - Control In the past…

NEMATODES In Finland, thinning caused a reduction of nematode population (Huhta, 1967)

ARTHROPODS In Finland, thinning caused a reduction of springtails and coleoptera abundance (Huhta, 1967) Soil sampling and extraction methods Soil samples were collected separately from the two areas in May 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. For each area 9 plots (1ha) were delimited. For each plot, three samples of soil were collected Nematodes

Free living nematodes Extraction by cotton-wood filter method: predominate in shallow soil Nematodes were isolated from 100 ml of (0-20 cm). each soil sample.

The sample were collected Macroarthropods using hand auger to take top Carabids live on 20 cm layer of bulk soil. the soil surface Microarthropods Microarthropods live in the deep top layer of soil where the amount of organic matter is high.

Samples - a 10 cm cube

Extraction by Tullgren- Berlese funnel Carabids caught by pit fall traps after 15-20 days Evaluation indices BIOINDICATORS 1) Nematode and diversity was Nematodes and arthropods are used as assessed by Shannon Weiner index valid tools to determine the impact of 2) Soil quality indices for nematodes and several human activities on soil microarthropods ecosystem. 3) Dominant index for Carabids Nematodes – Maturity index by Bongers (1990) Nematodes show a range of reactions to C = colonizer nematodes r-strategy disturbances in soils. In MI, the nematode families (GRUPPI 1-2) - Developed gonads are classified in the cp scale. - Short breeding cycles 1 2 3-5 P = Persister nematodes k-strategy (GRUPPI 3-5) - Reduced gonads Degraded soil Disturbed soil Good soil - Long breeding cycle quality Morphological Microarthropods – QBS-ar by Parisi (1998) characteristics give evidence of adaptation Soil microarthropods are separated according to the to soil environments: biological form approach with the aim of (1) evaluating the - reduction or loss of flying, microarthropods’ level of adaptation of life in the soil jumping or running adaptations environment (EMI values rang from 1 to 20) and (2) - thinner cuticle for reduced overcoming the well-known difficulties of taxonomic analysis water-retention capacity to species level for soil mesofauna. - blindness > 100 Good soil quality Results – Nematodes Amiata Pratomagno

T °C Rain mm T °C Rain mm 15 1500 15 1500 10 1000 10 1000 5 500 5 500 0 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018 0 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018 600 Pre Post I Post II Post III 600 Pre Post I Post II Post III 400 400

200 200 ml soil ml soil 0 0 DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C Total abundance/100 abundance/100 Total Total abundance/100 abundance/100 Total 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018 10 10 8 8 6 6 4 4 2 Taxa richness Taxa 2 Taxa richness Taxa 0 0 DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018  Differences between years, drought reduced nematode population and richness.  No significant differences between different treatments. Results - Nematodes AMIATA 2 3 2,5 1,5 2 1 1,5 Weiner index Weiner - 1

0,5 index Maturity 0,5 Shannon 0 0 DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018

H and MI values are characteristic of degrades soil. The highest H values was found in thinning from below in Pratomagno site. PRATOMAGNO 2 a 3 2,5 1,5 b 2 1 1,5 Weiner index Weiner - 1

0,5 index Maturity 0,5 Shannon 0 0 DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018 Results – Nematodes Pratomagno Amiata Taxa Before After Taxa Before After thinnings thinnings thinnings thinnings DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C Rhabditidae + + + + + + Monhysteridae + Cephalobidae + + + + Rhabditidae + + + + + + Monhysteridae + + No loss of Aphelenchidae + + + + + + Cephalobidae + + + nematodes Discolaimidae + + Aphelenchidae + + + + + + Dorylaimidae + + + + + + Discolaimidae + + + + taxa Mononchidae + + + + + + Seinurae + + + Dorylaimidae + + + + + + Mononchidae + + + + + + Tylenchidae + + + + + + Seinurae + + + + Paratylenchidae + + + Anguinidae + + + + Tylenchidae + + + + + + Hoplolaimidae + + + Paratylenchidae + + + Pratylenchidae + + Anguinidae + + + + Criconematidae + + Hoplolaimidae + + Predators Longidoridae + + + + + + Longidoridae + + + + + + increased 8 6 9 12 12 13 6 6 10 11 12 13 in DB Amiata Pratomagno Before After Before After 100% 100%

80% 80%

60% 60%

40% 40% 20% 20% 0% 0% DB DS CTR DB DS CTR DB DS CTR DB DS CTR Detritivores Predators Plant parasitics Detritivores Predators Plant parasitics Results - Microarthropods Amiata Pratomagno T °C Piogg mm T °C Piogg mm 15 1500 15 1500

10 1000 10 1000 5 500 5 500 High rainfall has 0 0 0 0 reduced the 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018 amount of 400 microarthropods 400 Pre Post I Post II Post III Pre Post I Post II Post III 300 300 a 200 200 a b b 100 100 b b Total abundance Total Total abundance Total 0 0 DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018

12 12 10 10 8 8 a 6 6 b 4 4 2 Taxa richness Taxa 2 Taxa richness Taxa 0 0 DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018 Selective thinning had negative effects on taxa richness and total abundance during the second years in Pratomagno site. Results - Microarthropods AMIATA 2 200 a 1,5 150 b b ar 1 -

Weiner index Weiner 100 - QBS 0,5 50 Shannon 0 0 DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018

PRATOMAGNO 2 200 1,5 a 150 a a ar 1 b - Weiner index Weiner

- 100 b b b QBS 0,5 50 Shannon 0 0 DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C 2015 2016 2017 2018 2015 2016 2017 2018

 QBS-ar evidenced a more degraded environment in Pratomagno than Amiata.  The highest indices (H and QBS-ar) were found in thinning from below. Results - Microarthropods Amiata No loss of microarthropods taxa in both sites. Before After 100% TAXA AMIATA PRATOMAGNO 90% 80% Before After Before After 70% DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C DB DS C 60% Acarina + + + + + + + + + + + + 50% Araneae + + + + + + + + 40% Opilionida + + 30% Pseudoscorpiones + + + + + + + + + Isopoda + + + + + 20% Chilopoda + + + + + + + + + + + + 10% Diplopoda + + + + + + + + + + + + 0% Pauropoda + + + + + + + + + + + + Symphyla + + + + + + + + + + + + DB DS CTR DB DS CTR Diplura + + + + + + + + Collembola + + + + + + + + + + + + Acarina Collembola Coleoptera Other Eudafics Other taxa Zygentoma + Psocoptera + + + + + + + + Hemiptera + + + + + + + + + + + Pratomagno Tysanoptera + + + + + + + + + + Before After Coleoptera + + + + + + + + + + + + 100% Hymenoptera + + + + + + + + + + + + 90% Diptera + + + + + + + + + + + + 80% Lepidoptera + + + 70% Total 16 15 16 15 15 17 13 12 12 12 15 15 60% 50% AMIATA 40% 30% The epi and emi-edaphic fauna and acarina 20% 10% increased in DB and DS, respectively. 0% PRATOMAGNO DB DS CTR DB DS CTR The eu-edaphic fauna increased in DB, while Acarina Collembola Coleoptera Other Eudafics Other taxa coleoptera reduced in DS. Results - Carabids

Genus Notiophilus The tribe of Notiophilini with the genus Notiophilus, was present in both areas.

In general…  Spatial distribution is related to environment, only five species are common in the two sites.  The steppic species are higher Amiata than Pratomagno.

Check list: in yellow the forest species and in blue the steppic species. A - steppic species or open environments B - forest species A (B) - species predominantly of steppic environment B (A) - species predominantly of forest environment. Results - Carabids Amiata AMIATA 2  The highest H values were found in Control.  DB and DS evidenced a low resilience 1 in 2018. Shannon Weiner index Weiner Shannon 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 DB DS CTR

Pratomagno Carabus 2 (Megodontus) violaceus picenus Villa & Villa, 1838

1 PRATOMAGNO  The highest H value was found in DB

Shannon Weiner index Weiner Shannon in 2018. 0  DS showed a crescent trend during 2015 2016 2017 2018 years. DB DS CTR Results - Carabids Amiata

1 AMIATA  The D index showed a peak in 2018 when Steppic species: Callistus lunatus 0,5 there was only one Harpalus dimidiatus Notiophilus germinyi specie Percus paykulli Trechus quadristriatus Dominance index  Forest species: During 2016 and 2017 Calathus montivagus 0 the steppic and forest Carabus (Tomocarabus) convexus 2015 2016 2017 2018 Carabus (Archicarabus) rossii DB DS CTR species increased. Notiophilus rufipes Percus paykulli Pratomagno PRATOMAGNO 1  Before thinnings Nebria tibialis subcontracta was the dominant species . 0,5 Dominance index

0 2015 2016 2017 2018 Genus Nebria Genus Percus DB DS CTR The Pratomagno individuals, belonging to the tribe Nebriini and Pterostichini, were well represented by genera Nebria and Percus, respectively. Conclusion

Microarthropods Shannon Weiner index and QBS-ar increased in thinning from below. Nematodes On the other hand, selective thinning In thinning from below, Shannon caused a reduction of biodiversity (in Weiner index increased and free particular Coleoptera and eu-edaphic living nematodes involved in taxa) due to the extreme climatic nutrient mineralization are condition created by intensive thinning. efficiently regulated by predation.

Carabids At our latitudes, the forest management by Thinning enhance thinning improves biodiversity compared to non- biodiversity (in particular management: the thinning from the below after steppic species), but just three years increased soil fauna, while it takes reduced the resilience. several years for selective thinning