Doctoral thesis (Dissertations and theses)
Use of Soil and Litter Arthropods as Biological Indicators of Soil Quality in Southern Rwanda
Nsengimana, Venuste
2018
 

Files


Full Text
Use of Soil and Litter Arthropods as Biological Indicators of Soil Quality in Southern Rwanda_PhD Thesis.pdf
Publisher postprint (1.6 MB)
Request a copy

All documents in ORBi are protected by a user license.

Send to



Details



Keywords :
Community composition, Doryllinae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae, land use, physicochemical parameters
Abstract :
[en] Abstract - Nsengimana Venuste (2018). Use of soil and litter arthropods as biological indicators of soil quality in Southern Rwanda. University of Liège, Gembloux Agro Biotech. Pages: 121, tables: 13, figures: 3 To assess soil quality under different land uses by the use of soil and litter arthropods as biological indicators, a research was conducted in the Arboretum of Ruhande and the Rubona agricultural research station in southern Rwanda. Soil and litter arthropods were collected by pitfall sampling technique and identified to the family level. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were identified to species level. Soil cores were collected and analysed for soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, pH, aggregate stability, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, silt, and clay and sand soil textures. C:N ratios were calculated from the mass of carbon to the mass of nitrogen. Higher levels of total nitrogen, soil organic carbon, and clay and silt soil texture were found in native and exotic tree species. Higher levels of cation exchange capacity, pH, and electrical conductivity were found in native tree species and banana plantations, while higher levels of available phosphorus, aggregate stability and sand soil texture were found in coffee and banana plantations. The analysis of the abundance of collected soil and litter arthropods indicated higher abundance of the most of identified families in native and exotic tree species than in the varieties of coffee and banana plantations. Families of Scolopendridae, Trombiculidae, Eosentomidae, Formicidae and Staphylinidae showed strong correlation with soil physicochemical properties. Formicidae highly occurred in all land uses and discriminated between clay, sand, aggregate stability, pH, available phosphorus, electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity. The ecological functions of identified families contribute to the soil quality through predation, decomposition, bioturbation and phytophagous that increase soil organic matter and facilitate water retention and soil aeration. The taxonomy of ants to species level indicated 30 species belonging to 14 genera, and four subfamilies, the Formicinae, Dorylinae, Myrmicinae and Ponerinae. These species correlated with soil properties in different ways, but their ecological functions that contribute to soil quality are not yet well documented. We recommend further studies to be replicated in other land uses and ecological zones of Rwanda, to include the impact of climate variability, altitudinal variation, functional diversity, metal and soil microbiology and the taxonomy of the entire community composition of collected soil and litter arthropods to species level in order to generalize these findings. Key words: Community composition, Doryllinae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae, land use, physicochemical parameters
Disciplines :
Entomology & pest control
Author, co-author :
Nsengimana, Venuste  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Form. doct. sc. agro. & ingé. biol. (paysage)
Language :
English
Title :
Use of Soil and Litter Arthropods as Biological Indicators of Soil Quality in Southern Rwanda
Alternative titles :
[en] Use of Soil and Litter Arthropods as Biological Indicators of Soil Quality in Southern Rwanda
Defense date :
20 November 2018
Number of pages :
121
Institution :
ULiège - Université de Liège
Degree :
DOCTEUR EN SCIENCES AGRONOMIQUES ET INGENIERIE BIOLOGIQUE
Promotor :
Francis, Frédéric  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > GxABT : Services généraux du site > Site GxABT - Relations internationales
Nsabimana, Donat
President :
Lebailly, Philippe  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Modélisation et développement
Jury member :
Verheggen, François  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion durable des bio-agresseurs
Degré, Aurore  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > GxABT : Services généraux du site > Site GxABT - Relations extérieures et information sur les études
Colinet, Gilles  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Echanges Eau - Sol - Plantes
Kaplin, A.Beth
Commentary :
PhD_Thesis_final_Revised
Available on ORBi :
since 13 November 2018

Statistics


Number of views
147 (28 by ULiège)
Number of downloads
8 (6 by ULiège)

Bibliography


Similar publications



Contact ORBi