Effects of neonicotinoids and fungicides on soil invertebrate communities and litter decomposition within restored prairie
Pesticide use is widespread within agricultural landscapes, and emerging evidence suggests that both neonicotinoids and fungicides can greatly impact the health of soil invertebrate communities. My study compares soil fauna community composition, abundance, species diversity, and litter decomposition across restored prairie plots treated with a neonicotinoid (clothianidin) and a fungicide (Captan). Soil invertebrate communities in plots treated with a combination of neonicotinoids and fungicides were nearly half as dense as they were in plots without pesticides, reflecting reductions spanning from 37 to 80% across all major taxonomic groups and feeding guilds. These declines were consistent across sampling dates and associated with distinct shifts in community composition and higher rates of litter decomposition. My findings demonstrate that combinations of common agricultural pesticides can synergistically reduce soil faunal abundance and alter litter decomposition within restored prairie. Future research should explore soil invertebrate communities that are poorly represented by my sampling methodology and determine whether direct or indirect ecotoxicological forces are behind the synergy observed between fungicides and neonicotinoids.
Invertebrates, Soil, Pesticides, Decomposition
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign