Pesticide Residues in Soil Invertebrates - Pesticides: Evaluation of Environmental Pollution - page 337

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Pesticide R esidues in Soil Invertebrates
Prem Dureja and Rajendra Singh Tanwar
CONTENTS
12.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 337
12.2 Soil Invertebrates ............................................................................................................... 337
12.3 Pesticides in Soil................................................................................................................. 338
12.3.1 Pesticides in Soil Invertebrates............................................................................. 339
12.3.2 Pesticide Residues in Earthworms ...................................................................... 340
12.3.3 Effect of Pesticides on Earthworm ...................................................................... 342
12.3.4 Effect of Pesticides on Soil Nematode Communities ....................................... 346
12.3.5 Effect of Pesticides on Microarthropods ............................................................ 347
12.3.6 Effect of Pesticides on Beneficial Soil Microorganisms.................................... 350
12.4 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 352
References..................................................................................................................................... 352
12.1 Introduction
In nature, the soil is one of the key elements that enable life on earth. It plays a central
role in all terrestrial ecosystems and functions as the habitat for many organisms and as a
filter and buffer, allowing clean groundwater storage. Important parts of the natural cycle
of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur take place in the soil. The main ecological
functions of soil are those related to organic matter breakdown and nutrient mineraliza-
tion by soil invertebrates and microbes. The soil-dwelling organisms play a crucial role in
the ecosystem by mediating the geochemical cycling of elements and nutrient supplies to
plants. They are also very beneficial to soil structure and structural stability. The wide-
spread introduction of chemical pesticides to control pests (microbial pathogens, weeds,
nematodes, snails, insects, and rodents) has significantly increased grain yields. However,
because pesticides are often unspecific, they have the potential to profoundly modify the
soil communities. It is important to understand how pesticide use affects the ecology of
the ecosystem and to consider the implication of these changes.
12.2 Soil Invertebrates
Soil invertebrates are some of the smallest and most important invertebrates on the
planet and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. They are the backbone of many
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