Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Biological activity in Cerrado soils: evaluation of vegetation, fire and seasonality effects using the “bait-lamina test”

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Commentary to this article was published on 02 September 2014

Abstract

Aims

The Cerrado, a South American savanna, is considered a priority for conservation. In this case study, we assessed soil feeding activity as a way to improve understanding of the ecosystem functioning, in order to support and refine conservation strategies.

Methods

Soil feeding activity was assessed using the bait-lamina method under different environmental conditions: in the dry and rainy seasons, in burned and unburned areas, and under native and invasive grasses.

Results

Feeding activity was significantly reduced after fire, but recovered to pre-fire levels with the rains. Activity increased significantly during the rainy season in both areas, being more pronounced in the unburned area. The highest feeding activity was observed under the invasive grass (Melinis minutiflora). Feeding activity declined with soil depth and was affected by season and fire.

Conclusions

Seasonality was the most important factor affecting the feeding activity of soil organisms, followed by the fire history and the extant vegetation. Although this method does not allow distinguishing between feeding activity of different organisms, it can provide valuable insights into differences in soil functioning due to changes in environmental conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aquino AM, Silva RS, Mercante FM, Correia MEF, Guimarães MF, Lavelle P (2008) Invertebrate soil macrofauna under different ground cover plants in the no-till system in the Cerrado. Eur J Soil Biol 44:191–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asner GP, Beatty SW (1996) Effects of an African grass invasion on Hawaiian shrubland nitrogen biogeochemistry. Hydrobiologia 186:205–211

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Assad ED, Sano EE, Matsumoto R, Castro LH, Silva FAM (1993) Veranicos na região dos cerrados brasileiros freqüência e probabilidade de ocorrência. Pesq Agropec Bras 28:993–1003

    Google Scholar 

  • Bastida F, Zsolnay A, Hernández T, García C (2008) Past, present and future of soil quality indices: a biological perspective. Geoderma 147:159–171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benito N, Brossard M, Pasini A, Guimaraes M, Bobillier B (2004) Transformations of soil macroinvertebrate populations after native vegetation conversion to pasture cultivation (Brazilian Cerrado). Eur J Soil Biol 40:147–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black H, Okwakol MJN (1997) Agricultural intensification, soil biodiversity and agroecosystem function in the tropics: the role of termites. Appl Soil Ecol 6:37–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castro-Neves BM, Miranda HS (1996) Efeitos do fogo no regime térmico do solo de um campo sujo de Cerrado. In: Miranda HS, Saito CH, Dias BFS (eds) Impactos de Queimadas Em Áreas de Cerrado e Restinga. Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, pp 20–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Decaëns T, Lavelle P, Jaen JJJ, Rippstein GEG (1994) Impact of land management on soil macrofauna in the Oriental Llanos of Colombia. Eur J Soil Biol 30:157–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Eiten G (1972) The cerrado vegetation of Brazil. Bot Rev 38:201–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Filzek PDB, Spurgeon DJ, Broll G, Svendsen C, Hankard PK, Parekh N, Stubberud HE, Weeks JM (2004) Metal effects on soil invertebrate feeding: measurements using the bait lamina method. Ecotoxicology 13:807–816

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forster B, Van Gestel CAM, Koolhass JE, Nentwig G, Rodrigues JML, Sousa JP, Jones SE, Knacker T (2004) Ring-testing and field-validation of a terrestrial model ecosystem (TME) – an instrument for testing potentially harmful substances: effects of Carbendazim on organic matter breakdown and soil fauna feeding activity. Ecotoxicology 13:129–141

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • FUNATURA/IBAMA (1998) Plano de Manejo do Parque Nacional de Brasília. Volume 1. Brasília

  • Goransson H, Godbold DL, Jones DL, Rousk J (2013) Bacterial growth and respiration responses upon rewetting dry forest soils: Impact of drought-legacy. Soil Biol Biochem 57:477–486

  • Hamel C, Schellenberg M, Hanson K, Wang H (2007) Evaluation of the “bait-lamina test” to assess soil microfauna feeding activity in mixed grassland. Appl Soil Ecol 36:199–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hattenschwiler S, Tiunov AV, Scheu S (2005) Biodiversity and litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 36:191–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helling B, Pfeiff G, Larink O (1998) A comparison of feeding activity of collembolan and enchytraeid in laboratory studies using the bait-lamina test. Appl Soil Ecol 7:207–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbie SE (1996) Temperature and plant species control over litter decomposition in Alaskan tundra. Ecol Monogr 66:503–522

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaschuk G, Alberton O, Hungria M (2010) Three decades of soil microbial biomass studies in Brazilian ecosystems: lessons learned about soil quality and indications for improving sustainability. Soil Biol Biochem 42:1–13

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kratz W (1998) The bait-lamina test: general aspects, applications and perspectives. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 5:94–96

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kula C, Römbke J (1998) Evaluation of soil ecotoxicity tests with functional endpoints for the risk assessment of plant protection products. Environ Sci Pollut Res 5:55–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larink O, Sommer R (2002) Influence of coated seeds on soil organisms tested with bait lamina. Eur J Soil Biol 38:287–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lavelle P, Bignell D, Lepage M, Wolters V, Roger P, Ineson P, Heal OW, Dhillion S (1997) Soil function in a changing world: the role of invertebrate ecosystem engineers. Eur J Soil Biol 33:159–193

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindberg N, Engtsson JB, Persson T (2002) Effects of experimental irrigation and drought on the composition and diversity of soil fauna in a coniferous stand. J Appl Ecol 39:924–936

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lopes ELN, Fernandes AR, Ruivo MLP, Cattanio JH, Souza GF (2011) Microbial biomass and soil chemical properties under different land use systems in northeastern Pará. Rev Bras Ciênc Solo 35:1127–1139

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loureiro S, Nogueira AJA, Soares AMVM (2007) A microbial approach in soils from contaminated mine areas: the Jales mine (Portugal) study case. Fresenius Environ Bull 16(12b):1648–1654

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marinho MS, Miranda HS (2013) Efeito do fogo annual na mortalidade e no banco de sementes de Andropogon gayanus Kunth. No Parque Nacional de Brasília/DF. Biodiversidade Brasileira 3:149–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Martins CR, Leite L, Haridasan H (2004) Capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora), uma gramínea que compromete a recuperação de áreas degradadas em unidades de conservação. Rev Árvore 28:739–747

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miranda AC, Miranda HS, Dias IFO, Dias BFS (1993) Soil and air temperatures during prescribed fires in Central Brazil. J Trop Ecol 9:313–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miranda HS, Sato MN, Neto WN, Aires FS (2009) Fires in the Cerrado, the Brazilian savanna. In: Cochrane MA (ed) Tropical fire ecology: climate change, land Use and ecosystem dynamics. Springer-Praxis, New York, p 682

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG, Fonseca GAB, Kent J (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403:853–858

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nardoto GB, Bustamante MMDC (2003) Effects of fire on soil nitrogen dynamics and microbial biomass in savannas of Central Brazil. Pesq Agropec Bras 38:955–962

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niemeyer JC, Moreira-Santos M, Nogueira MA, Carvalho GM, Ribeiro R, Silva EM, Sousa JP (2010) Environmental risk assessment of a metal-contaminated area in the tropics. Tier I: screening phase. J Soils Sediments 10:1557–1571

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pinto-Junior OB, Sanches L, Dalmolin AC, Nogueira JS (2009) Efluxo de CO2 do solo em floresta de transição Amazônia Cerrado e em área de pastagem. Acta Amazon 39:813–822

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pivello VR, Shida CN, Meirelles ST (1999) Alien grasses in Brazilian savannas: a threat to the biodiversity. Biodivers Conserv 8:1281–1294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pivello VR, Oliveras I, Miranda HS, Haridasan M, Sato MN, Meirelles ST (2010) Effect of fires on soil nutrient availability in an open savanna in Central Brazil. Plant Soil 337:111–123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos-Neto MB, Pivello VR (2000) Lightning fires in a Brazilian savanna national park: rethinking management strategies. Environ Manag 26:675–684

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro JF, Walter BMT (1998) Fitofisionomias do bioma Cerrado. In: Sano SM, Almeida SP (eds) Cerrado: ambiente e flora. Embrapa Cerrado, Planaltina, pp 89–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Roembke J, Hofer H, Garcia MVB, Martius C (2006) Feeding activities of soil organisms at four different forest sites in Central Amazonia using the bait lamina method. J Trop Ecol 22:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Salgado-Laboriau ML, Vicentini KRFC (1994) Fire in the Cerrado 32,000 years ago. Current Res Pleistocene 11:85–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva JSO, Haridasan M (2007) Acúmulo de biomassa aérea e concentraçãoo de nutrientes em M. minutiflora P. Beauv. e gramíneas nativas do cerrado. Rev Brasil Bot 30:337–344

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silva RF, Aquino AM, Mercante FM, Guimarães MF (2006) Macrofauna invertebrada do solo sob diferentes sistemas de produção em Latossolo da Região do Cerrado. Pesq Agropec 41:697–704

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torne E (1990) Assessing feeding activities of soil-living animals. Pedobiologia 34:89–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Viana LT, Bustamante MMC, Molina M, Pinto AS, Kisselle K, Zepp R, Burke RA (2011) Microbial communities in Cerrado soils under native vegetation subjected to prescribed fire and under pasture. Pesq Agropec Bras 46:1665–1672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams DG, Baruch Z (2000) African grass invasion in the Americas: ecosystem consequences and the role of ecophysiology. Biol Invasions 2:123–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolters V (2000) Invertebrate controlo f soil organic matter stability. Biol Fertil Soils 31:1–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for a PhD grant to Carolina Musso (SFRH/BD/64938/2009) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES/Brasil) for the Project grant (A058/2013) to Amadeu M.V.M. Soares. This work was supported by European Funds through COMPETE and by National Funds through the Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT) within project PEst-C/MAR/LA0017/2013. IBAMA and the Parque Nacional de Brasília are acknowledged for permission to perform the study in the area. We are grateful to the Department of Ecology of the Universidade de Brasília for collaboration and technical support, Ana Catarina Bastos for English review and Marcela Manara and Marcelo da Silva Marinho for laboratory and field assistance. We thank the Bio-Protection Research Centre from Lincoln University, New Zealand, for providing the bait-lamina strips.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Campus de Santiago Aveiro, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal

    Carolina Musso, Amadeu M. V. M. Soares & Susana Loureiro

  2. Departamento de Ecologia, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília-DF, Brazil

    Heloísa S. Miranda

  3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Produção Vegetal, Universidade Federal do Tocantins, Gurupi-TO, Brazil

    Amadeu M. V. M. Soares

Authors
  1. Carolina Musso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Heloísa S. Miranda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Amadeu M. V. M. Soares
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Susana Loureiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carolina Musso.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Hans Lambers..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Musso, C., Miranda, H.S., Soares, A.M.V.M. et al. Biological activity in Cerrado soils: evaluation of vegetation, fire and seasonality effects using the “bait-lamina test”. Plant Soil 383, 49–58 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2233-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2233-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation