Pesticide use and soil disturbance shape springtail communities in vineyards

Abstract

Farming practices are known to affect soil fauna, which are essential for soil functioning. However, we lack quantitative assessment of the effect of several key farming practices, such as pesticide use or soil disturbance on several important soil taxa. In perennial crops such as vineyards, soil tillage and pesticide use are very intensive and may have major impacts on soil fauna. However, studies on such systems remain scarce. The aim of this study is to assess the response of springtail communities to soil management and pesticide use, while considering key physico-chemical parameters on 32 organic and conventional vineyards located in the southwest France. Our analyses revealed that soil organic matter and soil tillage had a positive impact on functional and taxonomic diversities of springtails. In addition, we found that the intensity of pesticide use and the diversity of active ingredients in particular, decreased the diversity of springtail communities. Surprisingly, soil copper concentration had no effect on abundance or diversity of springtail communities. Our study suggests that superficial tillage and less intensive pesticide applications can favor taxonomic and functional diversity of springtails, independently of certification schemes. Future studies should now investigate how these changes in community composition and diversity affect soil functioning.