Slovenia's agricultural lands are experiencing increasing strains. In this master thesis, we analyzed the diversity of soil organisms across various farming systems (orchard, strawberry plantation, and arable field) and cultivation methods (organic/conventional, different soil tillage systems). The objective was to assess and compare these systems based on diversity of selected soil animal groups and the Soil Biological Quality Index (QBS), introducing a new index, QBS-a, for analysis. We hypothesized significant disparities in species diversity and index values across different farming systems, with expectations of higher values in systems practicing less intensive agricultural practices. We also predicted variability in the minimum sample size required for accurate soil organism diversity assessments across the different types of farming and tillage. We found out that in analyzed agricultural systems subclasses Acarina (mites) and Collembola (springtails) dominate the samples, constituting 92 % of all organisms found. Pedofauna abundance varies between agricultural systems, with the highest abundance noted in arable fields. We confirmed enhanced biological soil quality under organic production and less intensive soil management practices. We provided guidance on optimizing sampling strategies for biodiversity assessment in various agricultural systems, highlighting the potential for more efficient resource use in the future.
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