The ecological influence of soil impoverishment was assessed by comparing the population structures of the soil springtails (collembola) from uncultivated soil with cultivated one. Two adjacent sites were selected (cultivated and impoverished sites) in Disouq, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate. In this study twelve soil samples were collected monthly from each site through one year of study (2006-2007). The total number of collembolan species recorded in cultivated site was 23 species belonging to 11 families. However, 10 species belonging to 7 families were recorded in impoverished soil. The relative contribution of species showed that three dominant species represented 54.6% of the total abundance of Collembola in cultivated site. However, the impoverished land showed four dominant species represented 92% of the total individuals of Collembola. Abundance of Collembola in both sites showed spatio-temporal-dependant trends.
Key words: Soil, Ecology, Cultivated land, Impoverishment, Population, Collembola
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