Hierarchization of factors driving soil macrofauna in North Algeria groves

The current study gathers new data on soil macro-invertebrates in North Algerian orchards in order to evaluate their seasonal dynamics. Invertebrate samples were collected from three sites in Kabylie: two from sub-humid areas (Nezla and Guendoul) and one from a semi-arid area (Bouira). The objectives were to determine levels of soil macrofauna abundance and to rank the factors controlling their distribution in order of importance. We particularly focused on the effects of site (climate), season and type of orchard (Ficus carica L. and Olea europaea L.). We collected 24 taxa, of which 70% were ants and 16% earthworms. Site and seasonal factors as well as the interaction between these two elements were found to significantly influence total soil macro-invertebrate abundance. In particular, earthworms were found to be highly sensitive to aridity. In contrast, the type of grove explained only a small part of earthworm variance, whereas it had a significant influence on ant abundance. In order to be able to say whether these conclusions are typical for other comparable orchards in North Africa, more studies of this kind are needed