Fauna edáfica em campo nativo, Eucalyptus dunnii e Acacia mearnsii em área de mineração, Candiota, RS ; Edaphic fauna in native pasture, Eucalyptus dunnii and Acacia mearnsii in mining area, Candiota, RS

There are few studies related to soil fauna in coal mining area, mainly in the south region of Rio Grande do Sul state. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the composition of soil mesofauna and macrofauna in mined and not mined areas, with different land cover in a coal mine in the Candiota city. Six areas were chosen located within the mine, which have composed the following treatments: native pasture in not mined area (T1); native pasture in mined area (T2); Acacia mearnsii plantation in not mined areas (T3); Acacia mearnsii plantation in mined area (T4); Eucalyptus dunnii plantation in not mined area (T5) and Eucalyptus dunnii plantation in mined area (T6). For mesofauna were taken four samples with a circular soil probe 10 x 10 cm² and for macrofaunal were taken six samples at two depths, using a circular soil probe 10 x 5 cm². The samples were collected monthly during a period of 12 months and at random. In the laboratory, the mesofauna soil samples were placed in Berlese funnel and remained exposed for seven days under incandescent light. Macrofaunal samples were analyzed by the "manual scavenging" (visible specimens to the naked eye). Specimens collected by two methods were identified at the taxonomic groups level. The data of abundance, richness and diversity indices for mesofauna and macrofauna were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the mean to the Scott-Knott group test. Were collected a total of 25,953 specimens, distributed in 14 taxonomic groups for mesofauna. The T2 treatment had the lowest abundance, differing from the other. The richness of mesofauna did not differ between treatments and the greatest diversity was found in T2 treatment. For macrofauna were collected a total of 3,855 individuals in 12 taxonomic groups. The abundance and diversity of macrofauna did not differ between treatments. The T2 treatment had the lowest richness of macrofauna, differing from the other. Accordingly to the findings of this research it can be concluded that: a mesofauna and ...