"Soil biodiversity and sustainable vineyards: Hints from the analysis of microarthropod communities" in FAO. 2021. Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity. Global symposium on soil biodiversity, 19–22 April 2021 – Outcome document. Rome, Italy

The aim of this study, started in 2011, was to evaluate the long-term effects of organic management on soil quality in a commercial vineyard situated in the district of Verdicchio of Matelica (Marche, Italy). Assessment of soil quality was performed by using microarthropods as indicators. In the selected vineyard, three study plots selected within three vineyards differing in the length of their organic management histories, were chosen. Namely, in the vineyards denominated as V92, V98 and V09, organic management was started in 1992 (19 years under organic management), 1998 (13 years) and 2009 (2 years) respectively. Soil samples were taken once a month from March to October 2011 for a total of 8 sampling events for each study plot. The measured biological parameters for microarthropods were: abundances, QBS-ar index, number of biological and euedaphic forms and diversity indices (Shannon, Margalef, evenness). Results show that plots with a longer organic management history, were associated with more stable/resilient microarthropods communities, thus supporting the hypothesis that organic management contributes to soil quality improvement at least in vineyards belonging to this particular pedoclimatic area.