Modeling the Seasonal and Spatial Dynamics of Epigeic Fauna in the Context of Vineyard Landscape Use Using Machine Learning
2025
Vladimír Langraf | Kornélia Petrovičová
Epigeic groups play a key ecological role in vineyards, as they represent a significant component of soil and surface communities that directly affect the functioning of the agroecosystem. They act as predators, decomposers of organic matter, and important regulators of pest populations, thereby contributing to the natural biological protection of the vineyard. We conducted research between 2021 and 2023, where we monitored the impact of different types of vineyard landscape habitats on the spatial distribution and abundance of epigeic fauna. Over the study period, 57,964 individuals were recorded, with the highest abundance observed in 2023 and the lowest in 2022. Redundancy analysis confirmed a significant impact of habitat type on community composition, especially in semi-intensive and intensive vineyards, meadows, and abandoned sites, with the differences being statistically significant in all monitored habitats. The interannual changes indicated a significant decrease in biodiversity in 2022, followed by a significant increase in 2023, indicating a positive effect of changing management practices and natural succession on restoring ecological stability. The K-nearest neighbor (KNN) prediction model successfully classified individual years based on the number of individuals and taxa with an accuracy of 97%, with 2021 characterized by lower biodiversity, 2022 by a transitional state, and 2023 by a higher taxa and abundance level. The findings highlight the sensitivity of epigeic fauna communities to management and environmental changes and confirm that the application of gentle agri-environmental measures can significantly contribute to the maintenance and restoration of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
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