Anjan Kumar Chanda

Diversity and ecological role of soil microarthropods in cashew forest ecosystems from Ramnagar, West Bengal, India

Abstract In agricultural environments such as cashew forests, soil microarthropods are crucial for the maintenance of ecosystem functionality and soil health. The widespread distribution of soil microarthropods and their varying degrees of adaptation render them effective indicators for evaluating soil ecosystem health. Soil samples were obtained from different depths in ten selected sites in the Ramnagar block, West Bengal, India, and assessed for microarthropod presence by utilising standard extraction techniques. This paper provides the first comprehensive study of the diversity, abundance, and ecological functions of soil microarthropods within cashew forest ecosystems from this region. During the one-year study period (February 2024 – January 2025), 24 taxa were documented. The seasonal and functional group-wise abundance of microarthropods in different layers of soil and their relationship with soil moisture, temperature, pH and organic carbon content were evaluated. The highest abundance of microarthropods was recorded from the 0–10 cm soil layer. Decomposers were the most abundant functional group, followed by predators and detritivores. Abundance peaked during the monsoon season (June–September). The ANOVA test indicated spatial heterogeneity with respect to diversity and abundance among the ten sampling sites. While soil moisture and organic carbon content showed a positive correlation with both abundance and diversity of microarthropods, pH had a negative impact. The study emphasises the need for maintaining soil biodiversity in agroforestry systems and offers baseline data for further studies on the management and preservation of soil ecosystems in cashew-producing areas.

Doi https://doi.org/10.35513/21658005.2025.2.6

Keywords Abundance; cashew forest; functional groups; microarthropods; relationship; Ramnagar; soil parameters

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