Local patterns of edaphic mesofauna distribution in the arid Patagonian steppe, Argentina

MANZO, ROSA M.; MANZO, LUZ M.; RIZZUTO, SUSANA; VALENZUELA, MARÍA F.; MARTÍNEZ, PABLO A.

Soil Research

CSIRO PUBLISHING

Año: 2021

1838-675X

Mesofauna represents a major component of soil biological community and play a critical role inmaintaining soil quality, as well as a range of ecosystem functions. A split?split plot design wasperformed with the aim of identifying the main predictors (phytogeographical criteria, cover typeand environmental variables) of edaphic community structure under the effect of desertification.The study also aimed to examine the spatial and seasonal distribution of mesofauna communityaccording to phytogeographical criteria (shrubland vs grassland) and cover type (bare vs coveredsoil) in the north-western Patagonian steppe of Argentina. The relationship between edaphic fauna,environmental variables and site location was investigated using redundancy analysis (RDA), whilethe main predictors of edaphic community were analysed using generalised linear mixed models(GLMMs). A total of 43 taxa of Oribatida were found in 168 samples. GLMM approaches selectedcover type due to its higher effect on mesofauna community. In this sense, cover type was moreimportant than phytogeographical criteria and environmental variables as predictor of mesofaunacommunity. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how the distribution ofmesofauna community respond in Patagonia steppe.