Mesofauna: definition and examples

The Mesofauna of the soil, or also called Edaphic Mesofauna, is the set of medium -sized animals that inhabits the ground. To be classified as such, they must measure Between 0.1 to 2 millimetersin addition to being mainly arthropods.

Now, what role does Mesofauna play on the ground? Important soil engineers are Fragment waste and process them in a phenomenon called bioturbation. On the other hand, they regulate the bacterial, fungal and algeral communities of the soil, since they feed on them, contributing to the decomposition of elements necessary for the nutrient cycle.

Today the analysis of the Mesofauna of the soil is used for environmental analysis to know the environmental conditions, and if there is some type of disturbance.

Here are some examples of edaphic or soil Mesofauna so that you know more about it. In addition, we tell you more details about what arthropods are: characteristics, classification and examples, here.

The colorebol They are very tiny arthropods They can jump thanks to an appendix in their tail. They are extremely common on the ground, especially where the leaf litter is grouped. They often form groups of several individuals and are important Organic matter decomponers.

Its diet is very specialized according to the type of colonbolo. There are dining rooms:

• Fungal hyphae.
• Decomposition sheets.
• Bacteria
• Insects
• Protozoa
• Algae.

In their feces, multiple microorganisms such as bacteria or worms are deposited, which are important decomponeers part of the mesofaunic soil dynamics.

We tell you what is organic and inorganic matter in the following post of Ecology Verde.

The oligoquetos are better known as worms, and under this category are the inquitréidos, which are small transparent white worms. They are very easy to find in rich soils in organic content.

Its main food is fungal and excretion hyphae of other animals, because although they are relatives of earthworms they cannot process the leaflet or debris of organic matter. These famous pink earthworms correspond to the macrofauna, which will help you imagine the small size of all these examples of Mesofauna that we are presenting you.

Being excavators, they are important soil engineers, helping to air and create porosity. As they release a secretion called drillosphere that helps regulate bacterial communities and the percentages of minerals in the soil.

The mites are microscopic arachnidsof colors that range from the cream to coffee according to its surroundings. They feed on organic matter and help process it to form new soil. They can also ingest other invertebrates, fungi or protozoa.

Their waste is the main food of bacteria and fungi, which end with the process of decomposition and bioavailability of elements to be reintroduced in the trophic chain. They are very abundant on the ground and are important bioindicators of edaphic quality. It is estimated that in 10 there are between 50 thousand to 250 thousand mites per square meter. When there are few, it may be due to environmental deficiencies or disturbances.

We tell you more about bioindicators: what are, types and examples, here.

These arthropods are characterized by having at the end of your body two parallel prolongationstwo long antennas and for being transparent. They are tiny, a few millimeters long, but they are very abundant in the Mesofauna of the ground and They can dig galleries helping edaphic engineering. Its diet is mainly omnivorous: they feed on fungi and small animals that are part of the Mesofauna.

These arthropods are miriápodos, which means that They are relatives of the cent. Unlike the latter, the syphilos are not poisonous, they are very tiny and measure between 0.5 to 10 millimeter. They lack eyesthey are very fast and are white.

They abound in humid soils, but also in the moss, in cracks, under rocks or between the leaf litter. It is possible that you have also seen them within wood in rot in some forest because they feed on this organic matter, as well as other types of decomposition vegetation. They can be a great problem for agriculture because they can attack tubers or roots.

Known popularly as termitesthey can be in underground life, although other species may have other habits. The termites that are part of the Mesofauna are those that live between the ground and prefer the one that is very humid. They manufacture colonies repositioning land from one place to another, helping underground formation.

They also contribute to the decomposition of organic matter by feeding on wood, leaf litter or waste of other animals. They cannot process the wood alone And, to help themselves, they have in their protozoan digestive system that help the decomposition of cellulose. These isopters are very important decomposers of wood in jungles and forests. On the other hand, They can be pests In cultivation fields.

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