Title: A standardised method for estimating environmental and agronomic covariates to discriminate the explanatory variables effects on bioindicators: a case study on soil fauna

Authors: Stefano Macchio; Monica Vercelli; Michela Gori; Luisa Nazzini; Valter Bellucci; Pietro Massimiliano Bianco; Carlo Jacomini; Enrico Rivella; Susanna D'Antoni

Addresses: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy ' Strada Comunale Val Pattonera 184, 10133, Turin, Italy ' Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy ' Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy ' Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy ' Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy ' Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy ' Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Piedmont (APRA Piemonte), Via Pio VII 9, 10135 Turin, Italy ' Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy

Abstract: A method was developed for the standardisation and analysis of environmental and agronomic covariates to discriminate the effects of specific explanatory variables on a given bioindicator. To test it, the effects of plant protection products (PPP) was assessed on soil fauna sampled in organic and conventional hazelnut orchards. More than 100 standardised covariates were numerically reduced, by Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA), to two derived covariates. Then, redundancy analysis (RDA) was applied using, as explanatory variables, two indexes referred to PPP input and the derived covariates. The results showed a marked differentiation of the soil fauna communities between the two groups of sampled sites and their clear response to the use of PPP. The procedure proved to be effective in reducing the 'background noise' determined by a great number of covariates. This method can be successfully applied in monitoring activities concerning the effects on biodiversity of several initiatives aimed at reducing PPP use.

Keywords: plant protection products impact; agricultural management; covariates; bioindicators; organic farming; principal coordinates analysis; PCoA; canonical correspondence analysis; CCA; soil fauna.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSAMI.2024.135401

International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics, 2024 Vol.10 No.1, pp.1 - 26

Received: 23 Feb 2023
Accepted: 20 Apr 2023
Published online: 08 Dec 2023 *