ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Comparison of Correlations between Soil
Physicochemical Properties and Diversity-Density
of Soil Macrofauna in Juniper and Amygdalus
Stands During the Growing and Resting Season
(Case Study: Geno Protected Area,
Hormozgan Province, Iran)
More details
Hide details
1
PhD. Candidate, of Biodiversity, Department of Natural Resources Faculty of Environment, Bandar abbas branch,
Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Environment, Bandar abbas branch,
Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
3
Assistant Professor, Research Division of Natural Resources, Hormozgan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research
and Education Center, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bandar Abbas, Iran
4
Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Environment, Bandar abbas branch, Islamic Azad
University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
5
Department of Plant Protection Research, Hormozgan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education
Center, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bandar Abbas, Iran
Submission date: 2022-09-16
Final revision date: 2022-11-14
Acceptance date: 2022-11-25
Online publication date: 2023-04-18
Publication date: 2023-05-18
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2023;32(3):2503-2511
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The present study was an attempt to compare the correlation between physicochemical properties
of soil and diversity and density of soil macrofauna in Juniper and Amygdalus stands of Geno protected
area during the growing and resting seasons. To this end, researchers field visited part of the forest at
an altitude of 2200 m asl. and identified a half-hectare Juniper and a half-hectare Amygdalus stand.
10 points were randomly selected to place the sampling frame and measure the macrofauna and soil
physicochemical properties. Soil samples were collected at 15 cm soil depth using a rectangular sampling
frame (15 × 10. 10 cm) in growing and dormant seasons. Shannon-Wiener and Simpson diversity indices
were used to evaluate the biodiversity of the identified macrofauna, and then Menhinick’s and Margalef indices were used to evaluate the bio-richness of soil samples through Past3 software. The collected data
were analyzed using SPSS26 software. The results showed that the coefficient of multiple correlation is
significant for the linear combination of all research elements (5%) in Juniper and Amygdalus stands.
In the Juniper and Amygdalus stands, specific weight account for 33% and 11% of the benchmark
variables (the diversity and density of soil macrofauna) respectively. Biomass was also found to account
for 43% of the diversity and density of soil macrofauna in Juniper and 31% of macrofauna diversity and
density in the Amygdalus stands. PH accounted for 32% of macrofauna diversity and density in Juniper
stand and 21% of macrofauna diversity and density in Amygdalus stand, EC accounted for 13% and
18% of macrofauna diversity and density in the Juniper and Amygdalus stands, respectively, nitrogen
accounted for 12% and 23% of macrofauna diversity and density in the Juniper and Amygdalus stands,
respectively, phosphorus accounted for 33% and 19% of macrofauna diversity and density in the Juniper
and Amygdalus stands, respectively. Organic carbon accounted for 12% and 11% of macrofauna
diversity and density in the Juniper and Amygdalus stands, respectively.