NSENGIMANA Venuste, Rwanda

Project title: Use of soil arthropods as indicators of the soil quality in Southern Rwanda

Abstract: The focus of this study is on the use of soil arthropods focusing on soil insects as indicators of soil quality at the Arboretum of Ruhande and Rubona Agricultural research station in southern Rwanda. Exotic, native, agroforestry and natural regenerated tree species will be studied at Arboretum of Ruhande, while fields of banana, coffee and pasture lands will be studied at Rubona Agricultural Research Station. Arthropod will be collected and studied up to the family level and they will be compared with physical and chemical parameters with the purpose of maintaining and improving the productive capacity of the soil and conservation of soil biodiversity. Targeted and dominant soil insect family will be identified and hierarchically classified up to the species level by the use of dichotomous keys.

Training location: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences