Research Journal of Agricultural Science, 44 (2), 2012 73 BIODIVERSITY OF OCCURRENCE OF THE EPIGEIC GOUPS IN DEPENDENCE ON TYPE OF FARMING SYSTEM Jana PORHAJAŠOVÁ 1 , M, MACÁK 2 , Jana URMINSKÁ 1 1 Department of Environmental Sciences and Zoology, 2 Department of Sustainable Agriculture and Herbology, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra – Slovakia E-mail: Jana.Porhajasova@uniag.sk adress Abstract: The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of different types of farming on occurrence of principle epigeic group in two evaluated time periods. First experiment was realized at Dolná Malanta experimental station of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, during 1996-1998. Collections of epigeic material was realised during vegetation period from April to October by soil trap. Total area of trial was 1200 m 2 dividing into three treatments as follows: A – no mow treatments, B mow without removing of cut grass, C mow with removing the cut grass. Totally 117 837 individuals of soil organisms were collected from which belong to 28 principle epigeic group. Dominant occurrence of Acarina, Araneida, Coleoptera, Collembola, Heteroptera and Hymenoptera totally 6 epigeic groups was determinate. Occurrence of other groups was on the recendent and subrecendent level. The attributes of specific identity according by Jaccard ranged from 89.29 to 96.29 %. The average attribute of diversity for three treatments on the level 2.01131 reflects stability of this ecosystem. The second trial of conventional farming was carrying out during 2004-2006 at the experimental farm Kolíňany Slovakia. Samples were taken from five treatments: A unfertilized; B 25t ha -1 farmyard manure; C 50 t.ha -1 bio sludge; D 50 t ha -1 farmyard; E 100 t ha -1 biosludge. In 2004 the soil trap were paced in canopy of Helianthus annuus, in 2005 at Beta vulgaris field and last year of the trial in the Zea mays field. During three year study totally 44 664 individuals belongs to 22 groups from five treatments were determined. Dominant groups were Acarina, Aphidinea, Araneida, Coleoptera, Collembola a Diptera. Occurrence of other groups was on the recendent and subrecendent level. The attributes of specific identity according Jaccard (I A ) ranged from 81.81% to 100.00 %.The average value of the diversity was 1.78307. On the average evaluation of five treatments in terms of the occurrence of zooedaphon showed that application of 50 t ha -1 bio sludge supported the most suitable soil condition for zooedaphon development with occurrence of 11 452 individuals. Key words: biodiversity, ground beetle, Coleoptera, organic mater, soil organisms, epigeic groups INTRODUCTION Organic matter management has played an important role in creating conditions for specified soil zooedaphon community. Apart from decomposition processes the main role of zooedaphon is stressed in development of soil characteristics and stabilization of soil fertility (LACKO-BARTOŠOVÁ ET. AL. 1995; PORHAJÁŠOVÁ ET AL., 2008b; POSPIŠIL AND RŽONCA, 2008). The ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities associated with cropping systems of spring wheat under various tillage regimes were investigated by WEISS ET. AL. (1990). Generally, lower numbers of individuals of a given species were found in cropping systems associated with conventional tillage. However, cropping system may have altered communities to higher degree than the tillage regime. The abundance and seasonal dynamics of carabid beetles and other ground-dwelling arthropods in conventional and low-input cropping systems were investigated by FAN ET AL., (1993). Carabids and staphylinids were significantly greater in number in the low-input plots.