DIVERSITY OF SOIL MESOFAUNA IN THE NEW VALLEY OASES, WESTERN DESERT, EGYPT

This was conducted in four localities: Al-Kharga, Al Monira, Boulaq and BarisOases in the New Valley Governorates, from the farmlands and the out skirting desert.Soilmesofaunawas sampledbymeans of the pitfall trap method.Data of activity density of soil mesofauna families were treated by multivariate statistical methods; correspondence analysis and ascending hierarchic classification. A total of 499 individuals of soil mesofauna belonging to 35 families of 9 orders, were obtained. Based on the activity density of soil mesofauna,each of Al-Kharga and Boulaq are similar to each other at about 60% and each of Al-Monira and Baris are similar at about 56%, whereas, the four oases of the present study are similar at about 45%. The two indices of diversity used in this study indicated that families of soil mesofauna are nearly equal in both species richness and evenness. Composition and diversity of soil mesofauna families may differ in desert agro-ecosystems according to cropping patterns and type and intensity of agriculture practices.