Conservation tillage and biological activity

Soil structure, earthworms, springtails, and predatory mites of a Parabraun erde were studied in plots under conventional (plough) and conservation til lage (mulchseed) with sugar beet as standing crop. The treatment conservati on tillage resulted in a more stable soil structure in the upper Dart of th e topsoil because of a reduced tillage intensity. The more stable soil stru cture is characterized by a distinct vertically orientated macroporosity. T he lower bulk density level is the result of limited efficiency of compacti on stresses. The abundances of all three groups of the soil fauna (earthworms, springtai ls, predatory mites) were higher in the plot with conservation tillage than in that with conventional tillage. The biomass of the earthworms in the pl ot with conservation tillage was higher too. The earthworm species L. terrestris was only found in the plot with mulchse ed, because the soil surface was covered with organic residues. Mulchseed for sugar beets is a good strategy against soil erosion and for p rotecting biological activity in soil.