Edaphic macrofauna: composition, variation and use as a bioindicator according to the impact of soil use and quality

Abstract

The edaphic macrofauna as part of terrestrial biodiversity contributes with important ecosystem services, among the most relevant, the sequestration and release of carbon, the regulation of the composition of atmospheric gases and climate change. Due to its functional importance and its value in bioindicator, the work had the purpose of compiling updated information on the environmental functions of the macrofauna, the effect and variation of their communities according to the impact of the use and quality of the soil and the treatment as a biological indicator to assess the health status of the edaphic environment and the ecosystem. For this, a bibliographic search was carried out in order to reflect the main results achieved in the Neotropics and especially in Cuba. The national and international results reflected the negative effects of the change and intensity of land use on the edaphic macrofauna, which reaffirmed its use as a biological indicator of environmental alteration. Regarding the macrofauna indicators proposed worldwide so far, it was concluded that they are advantageous as they do not require complex taxonomic work, are inexpensive, and are easy and quick to apply in any region and ecosystem, which require a comparative evaluation. However, it is fundamentally recommended to strengthen the actions of research, validation and generalization of results in Cuba, to extend the use of the indicators already generated to different soils and ecosystems in the country.