Published in Scientific Papers. Series A. Agonomy., Vol. LVI
Written by Melika MOHAMEDOVA, Ivanka LECHEVA
Microarthropod community structure reflects soil ecosystem health and is influenced by the soil environment directly and/or indirectly by affecting the soil micro-flora and fauna that they graze. In this study, ecological indices for soil microarthropod community structure in soil contaminated (CS) with heavy metals in Plovdiv region and of a nearby non-contaminated area (NC) were examined during the three seasons from April through November 2011 to reveal influence of heavy metals on the soil microarthropod community structure. The QBS index as a tool has been applied to assess soil biological quality. Comparison of QBS index between CS and NC indicates that it was decreased in CS, indicating that soil health and function were adversely affected. Seasonal changes in the QBS index during the study period showed that the effect of heavy metals on microarthropod community structure is influenced by seasonal changes in environmental conditions.
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heavy metals
