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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Environ. Sci.
Sec. Ecosystem Restoration
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1407954

Enhancing Ecosystem Dynamics: Organic and Regenerative Practices in Rice-Wheat Systems and Their Impact on Soil Arthropod Biodiversity

Provisionally accepted
Ajay Kumar Mishra Ajay Kumar Mishra 1*Ankita Tiwari Ankita Tiwari 2Piyush K. Maurya Piyush K. Maurya 2Sheetal Sharma Sheetal Sharma 2
  • 1 International Rice Research Institute (India), New Delhi, India
  • 2 International Rice Research Institute South Asia Regional Centre, Varanasi 221106, Uttar Pradesh, India, Varanasi, India

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Arthropods may make a significant fraction of the total number of soil organisms. They function as plant litter transformers or ecosystem engineers and thus contribute positively to soil health. The present study was conducted during the 2020-2022 at International Rice Research Institute, South Asia Regional Centre, Varanasi. Study investigates the impact of different farming methods-conventional (Scenario 1; Sc1), LINF-Low-input natural farming (Sc 2); BBEF-Biochar-based ecological farming (Sc 3); CROF-Climate-resilient organic farming (Sc 4); RF-Regenerative farming (Sc 5) practices on soil arthropod populations in rice-wheat systems.Study utilized pitfall traps across various experimental setups. The findings revealed a significant increase in arthropod diversity and abundance, particularly in organic farming scenarios, where the Formicidae family (ants) and the Araneae family (spiders) were most prevalent. In an organically rich soil system, the five most diverse groups (Isopoda, Myriapoda, Insecta, Acari, and Collembola) were reported. This increase can be attributed to the nutrientrich amendments that positively influence soil organisms. This study highlights a gradual increase in specific taxa, such as cockroaches, spiders, ants, and grasshoppers, following the transition to organic farming. Principal component analysis (PCA) further revealed distinct arthropod distribution patterns in the different farming systems, indicating the unique ecological impact of each method. Interestingly, predator populations in zero-till wheat fields under regenerative agriculture were greater than those in conventionally tilled fields. These results underscore the substantial role of organic and regenerative farming practices in promoting sustainable agricultural ecosystems. This study reveals the complex interplay between farming practices and arthropod dynamics and highlights the ecological benefits of sustainable agricultural methods, emphasizing their potential to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem health.

    Keywords: Soil arthropods, Organic farming, Regenerative agriculture, rice-wheat cropping system, Biodiversity, Ecosystem health, Sustainable practice

    Received: 27 Mar 2024; Accepted: 26 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Mishra, Tiwari, Maurya and Sharma. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Ajay Kumar Mishra, International Rice Research Institute (India), New Delhi, India

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.