Effects of neonicotinoids and fungicides on soil invertebrate communities and litter decomposition within restored prairie
Ridgway, Jacob M.
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/124453
Description
Title
Effects of neonicotinoids and fungicides on soil invertebrate communities and litter decomposition within restored prairie
Author(s)
Ridgway, Jacob M.
Issue Date
2024-05-01
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Matthews, Jeffrey W
Yannarell, Anthony C
Department of Study
Natural Res & Env Sci
Discipline
Natural Res & Env Sciences
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
Invertebrates
Soil
Pesticides
Decomposition
Language
eng
Abstract
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.
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