SOIL QUALITY IN PINUS PATULA PLANTATIONS IN CAJAMARCA, PERU: APPLICATION OF THE QBS-AR INDEX

Bustamante Briones I.M.; Roncal Rabanal M.R. · Ciencia del Suelo (2025) · DOI: 10.64132/cds.v43i2.922

Resumen

This study evaluated the impact of Pinus patula plantations on soil biological quality in the Las Quihuilas sector (Cajamarca, Peru), considering plantations of different ages (1, 5, 8, and 10 years) and a high Andean grassland area as a control. The research was based on the analysis of the soil mesofauna using the QBS-ar index and various ecological diversity indices. It was carried out between October 2022 and March 2023, using the Berlese-Tullgren method to extract mesofauna. The results demonstrated a clear decrease in soil biological quality with increasing plantation age, with QBS-ar values going from 180 in high Andean grasslands to only 61 in 10-year-old plantations (BP10). This reduction was accompanied by a significant loss of microarthropod diversity, particularly in the most sensitive groups such as proturans and diplurans. The study also revealed seasonal differences, with greater biological activity during the dry season. These findings have important implications for sustainable forest management in high Andean ecosystems, suggesting the need to implement practices that mitigate the impact of plantations on soil biodiversity.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca