ABSTRACT Ants mediate ecosystem services that can modulate crop performance and overall agroecosystem functioning. Our study investigated how the activity of Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) influences soil chemical properties, soil silicon pools, and soil phytoliths. We hypothesized Solenopsis invicta Buren activity would increase the macronutrient content, available silicon for plants (PASi), and amorphous silicon (ASi) in nest soils, which is related to changes in the phytolith assemblage. This study was conducted on agricultural soil under organic management, covering an […]

The habitat of the geophagous tropical earthworm minhocuçu Chibui bari (Righi; Guerra, 1985), up to 60 cm long, are different soils in the state of Acre. The activity of this species results in the production of large amounts of nutrient-rich casts. The objective of this study was to evaluate maize growth in soil with activity of the earthworm Chibui bari. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse of the University Federal of Acre, in Rio Branco, Acre, in 2009. […]