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The Arthropod Population of the Soil in some East African Pastures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

George Salt
George Salt
Affiliation:
The Zoological Laboratory, Cambridge
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Extract

A method is described for the extraction of arthropods from soil.

Eleven soil samples from pastures in the neighbourhood of Moshi, Tanganyika, and at Kawanda, Uganda, yielded collections representing a population of 54,565 arthropods per sq. metre in the top 6 ins. of soil or, if three samples are adjusted in conformity with biological indications, of 38,417 per sq. metre.

Nine soil samples from coffee and cassava plantations and from fallow ground gave collections representing a population of 24,423 arthropods per sq. metre in the top 12 ins. (in some cases 8 ins.) of soil.

Twenty-five soil samples from a pasture near Cambridge, examined in a strictly comparable manner, gave collections representing a population of 90,238 arthropods per sq. metre in the top 6 ins. of soil.

It appears that the arthropod population in the uppermost 6 ins. of East African pasture soil is much smaller than, and only about half as large as, that in an English pasture.

The causes and consequences of the smaller arthropod population of tropical soil are briefly discussed, and a connection is suggested between the meagre arthropod (and earthworm) population and the large amount of ligneolis material found in the soil samples examined, This connection may also bear on the paucity of humus in some tropical soils.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , March 1952 , pp. 203 - 220
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1952

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