POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(Pol. J. Ecol.)

51

3

283-290

2003

 review research paper

 

 

Limpact of young shelterbelts on organic matter content and development of microbial and faunal communities of adjacent fields

 

Jerzy Karg1, Anna Kajak2, Lech Ryszkowski3

 

1Research Centre for Agricultural and Forest Environment PAS, Field Station Turew, Szkolna 4, 64-000 Kościan, Poland, e-mail: turew@poczta.onet.pl

2Centre for Ecological Research PAS (formerly Institute of Ecology PAS), Dziekanów Leśny 05-092 Łomianki, Poland, e-mail: annakajak@poczta.onet.pl

3Research Centre for Agricultural and Forest Environment PAS, Bukowska 19, 60-809 Poznań, Poland, e-mail: ryszagro@man.poznan.pl

 

Abstract: 

    The paper summarizes results of investigations done in 1999–2000 by several authors in Wielkopolska region, (western Poland) near Turew in young midfield shelterbelts and adjacent cereal fields. It was found that the soil organic matter content, as well as microbial and faunal biomass decrease gradually from the shelterbelt toward the field centre. The annual increase of carbon was assessed and possible sources of it (wind erosion, leaf fall, input of invertebrate faeces) considered. The results suggest, that excreta contribute significantly to total carbon input. The shelterbelts influence the biomass, density and composition of many soil and above-ground taxa and individual size of animals occurring in bordering fields.

 

Key words: midfield shelterbelts, cereal fields, wind erosion, organic matter, microbial activity and biomass, soil micro-, meso-, macrofauna, litter colonization, individual size