Comparative Assessment on the Effectiveness of Rainfall on Soil Microarthropods Population

The Aligarh region, a semi arid zone of Western U. P. in India. Normally experiences rain in the months of July and August. Over the time due to increase in population of soil microarthropods, the region has a long dry spell from March to June with temperature rising up to 45.5oC. Rains are less with monsoon having high humidity and high atmospheric temperature. This is the normal climatological condition of this region since last ten years. In the year 2008 as stated by the met office, due to global warming there were major changes in the climate. Mumbai experienced a low temperature of 6oC in January and Aligarh experienced untimely incessant rains in the month of May and June. This rain brought a sudden decline in the atmospheric temperature (31.5oC) as well as in the soil temperature (27.3oC). This sudden change and unexpected rain had a direct effect on the population of soil microarthropods. Soil microarthropods are ecologically important in terms of soil structure, nutrient cycling and as food for others. They are however sensitive to soil contaminants, reclamation activities and quickly respond to the change in physical and chemical properties of the habitat. Environment conditions, determine survival and reproduction by individual insects but in turn insect activities alter vegetation cover, properties and community organization. A small field study highlights the importance of rainfall patterns for the growth and development of soil microarthropods in litter and sub-soil of teak plantation. The main aim of this study is to compare the effect of rainfall on the population density of soil microarthropods in the year (2008).