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Macrofauna increase soil moisture and yield – WA (Webpage)

This Soil Quality Knowledge Base webpage investigated the question: do ants and termites (macrofauna) affect crop yield; and by what specific mechanisms (tunnelling to create soil macropores, water infiltration and nutrition) in low rainfall, deep sandy soils. It considers how agricultural systems based on no-till and controlled traffic affect the macrofauna populations and their ecosystem services. It measured the effect that the macrofauna had on grain yield. The study excluded ants and grass-eating termites using insecticides in the treatment plots. It found that, after 2 years, there was a 36% higher wheat yield in the control plots with ants and termites compared with the insect exclusion plots. This year experienced lower rainfall so the macropores may have improved rainwater infiltration and soil moisture. Also, termites fix atmospheric nitrogen so the plots without termites had lower soil nitrogen. Overall, this study found that long-term conservation practices such as no-till and controlled traffic farming are important in the low rainfall cropping regions of WA to maintain biological functions of the soil macrofauna. This information was previously published as an ebook, Soil Quality: 5 Soil biology. While the content is written for Western Australian soils, it may also apply to other Australian regions. #

  • Audience: RSP, tertiary students, landholders, SFSG, consultants
  • State: WA, SA, VIC, NSW
  • Author/Editor: T Evans
  • Publisher: Soil Quality Knowledge Base
  • Resource Type: Webpage
  • Copyright Year: 2021
  • Not Provided
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Resource Last Updated: May 14, 2025

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