Harnessing Diptera Diversity as a Bioindicator for Carbon and Nitrogen Loss During Litter Decomposition

Commodities

Practices

Biodiversity is a fundamental component of ecosystem function and
soil health; however, agricultural intensification is a known
driver of declining biodiversity. Efforts to mitigate the impact
of agricultural intensification on biodiversity and ecosystem
services (including decomposition) in the form of sustainable
agricultural management are rising in adoption. Detecting the
impact of sustainable agriculture on soil health is often
challenging due to the extended time necessary to observe
discernable changes. A bioindicator of soil health, connected to
decomposition, C/N cycling, and microbial activity, would provide
agricultural producers with a reliable tool capable of assessing
the impact of management decisions early after adoption. Diptera
(flies) are undervalued as ecosystem service providers but
recognized for their role in decomposition and nutrient cycling.
Quantifying the contributions of Diptera to decomposition in
agriculture will establish this key insect taxon as a
comprehensive bioindicator for soil health. I propose
investigating the effect of sustainable agricultural management
practices on cover crop decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil
insect diversity, with a particular emphasis on Diptera.
Objectives of our project include quantifying the diversity and
abundance of Diptera in sustainably and conventionally managed
annual row crops, evaluating decomposition rates and C/N release
of a cover crop, and assessing the relationship between Diptera
emergence and cover crop decomposition. I will conduct my
research at the W. K. Kellogg Biological Station in Michigan,
where the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Aspirational Cropping
Systems Experiment (ACSE) is established. The LTAR ACSE compares
sustainable "Aspirational" systems with conventional "Business as
Usual" systems, focusing on aspects including crop rotation,
tillage, and cover cropping. I aim to advance the understanding
of the relationship between sustainable agricultural management
practices, soil biodiversity, and ecosystem function. By
identifying the contributions of Diptera to decomposition
processes, this project will provide valuable insights for
agricultural management practices aimed at enhancing soil health
and sustainability.

Learning Outcome(s): I will educate row crop
growers about an underappreciated guild of beneficial insects in
agriculture, the decomposers facilitating nutrient cycling. These
agricultural producers will learn the efficacy of using a cover
crop mixture of red clover, alfalfa, chicory, and annual ryegrass
in soil nutrient cycling which will foster informed
decision-making in agricultural management. Additionally, they
will understand how soil biodiversity can be used as a
bioindicator for assessing nutrient cycling and soil health.

Action Outcome(s): Empowered with a holistic
understanding of sustainable soil management and biodiversity,
row crop growers will be equipped to make informed decisions when
adopting cover cropping and no-till, optimizing the efficacy of
nutrient cycling. I expect my work will allow producers to
integrate sustainable soil management with other management
practices like insecticide applications to develop management
strategies that reduce the disruption to soil biodiversity and
the efficacy of adopting cover cropping and no-till. This will
help agricultural producers convey how their management decisions
translate into sustainable agriculture and meet industry
priorities to the broader public.