Proposal of a basic tool (key) for the identifi cation of macroinvertebrates present in compost and urban soils by non-specialist users

Abstract

The use of taxonomic keys has traditionally been a privilege of specialists. However, students, offi cials and community members in general require simple tools to effectively participate in the environmental management of ecosystems and species, in line with the revolutionary guidelines of the Venezuelan state such as the PNSB (2007-2013), the LOA (2007) and the ENDB (2010). The objective of this work was to elaborate a simple tool (key) for the identifi cation of macroinvertebrates commonly present in compost and/or urban soils (Gran Caracas), for the taxa: row, class and/or order, with the purpose of evaluating soil and/or compost quality for its diagnosis, recovery, conservation, monitoring and use by society, for its social welfare (food production, recovery of slopes and
green areas for recreation and leisure in urban areas), as well as the maintenance of an ecologically balanced soil ecosystem. To this end, previous records (from educational, community and research activities at the PFG in Environmental Management of the UBV) of macroinvertebrates present in soils and compost  were considered and taxonomic keys relevant to the organisms studied were
reviewed, as well as basic ecological information about the. In the elaboration of the key, the use of easily observable
morphological characters was emphasized in order to make it feasible for different users to use it. The tool is being tested in compost and in basic characterizations of soil macroinvertebrates in socioenvironmental diagnoses of urban and periurban communities (Gran Caracas).