Case Study 5 - Soil fauna

PPP effects on soil biodiversity and on ecosystem function of soil invertebrate community

Institutions: UC, UKCEH

CS Coordinators: Paulo Sousa, Márcia Silva, David Spurgeon, Stephen Short, Melanie Gibbs

  • Objectives / Hypothesis

Assess how landscape structure (habitat diversity) and management (PPP use) affect soil biodiversity, functioning, and non-target arthropod communities.

  • Description of the case study

The CS 5 investigates PPP mixtures and their impact on soil and non-target arthropods, focusing on exposure assessment through residue analysis in plants, soils, and invertebrates. This study involves exposure assessment, gene expression biomarker analysis, experimental ecotoxicological tests, and biodiversity monitoring of soil organisms and NTAs. The relationship between the taxonomic and functional diversity of soil organisms and NTAs concerning the proximity of PPP application sites is also examined.

Case Study Goal

  • Exposure assessment - Estimates from:

    • PPP residues in plants, soils and invertebrates

    • PPP application scheme

  • Effect assessment: 

    • Gene expression biomarkers

    • Experimental ecotox tests based on field data

  • Biodiversity monitoring - Soil organisms and NTAs, classified by functional groups (soil microbiome, predators, parasitoids, soil architects, pollinators…) in- and off-crop. Soil functions linked to ecosystem services (e.g. decomposition)

  • Species

Species: UK

  • Worms - Aporrectodea caliginosa and Enchytraeus albidus

  • Woodlouse - Philoscia muscorum

  • Beetle - Poecilis cupreus

  • Involved stakeholders

  1. Farmers/wine producers and farm managers

  2. Authorities with competence in agriculture

  3. Nature protection NGOs

  • Locations

Description: Portugal and UK 

  • Wine-producing region (Bairrada, Portugal), with different typologies of producers and production modes (conventional, IPM, organic)

  • Hope Farm (Cambridge, UK)