Resumo

MURILLO-CUEVAS, Félix D. et al. Edaphic fauna and insects associated to weeds in persian lemon, monoculture and intercropping. Ecosistemas y recur. agropecuarios [online]. 2020, vol.7, n.2, e2508.  Epub 22-Dez-2020. ISSN 2007-901X.  https://doi.org/10.19136/era.a7n2.2508.

The state of Veracruz, Mexico, has a productive potential under the monoculture system, but there are environmental problems and agricultural pests. Faced with this situation, alternatives are being sought to develop more sustainable agroecosystems, such as diversified plots or intercropping. Therefore, the objective of the work was to compare the abundance, richness, diversity and equity of edaphic fauna and insects associated with arvences in the cultivation of persian lemon in monoculture and in polyculture in the central coastal region of Veracruz, Mexico. Monoculture plots (persian lemon only) and polyculture plots (persian lemon, banana and cocoa) were evaluated. Three plots were located: 1 = monoculture at a distance of 250 m from the plot in polyculture, 2 = monoculture at a distance of 100 m from the plot in polyculture and 3 = plot in polyculture. Ecological indices of abundance, richness, diversity, equity, and similarity of organisms in each of the plots were calculated. For the edaphic fauna, the polyculture plot had the highest diversity and equity and was significantly different from the monoculture plots; the monoculture plots were more similar to each other than with the poly- culture plot. For insects associated with arvences, the polyculture plot had greater diversity and equity, in addition to being significantly different from the most remote monoculture plot, but not to the closest one, the polyculture plot shared the greatest similarity of insects with the monoculture plot closest to this.

Palavras-chave : Agroecosystems; production systems; biodiversity; beneficial fauna; phytophagous.