Effect of pitfall trap depth on epigaeic beetle sampling (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Staphylinidae) in wet forested ecosites in Alberta, Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 150 (6) ◽  
pp. 813-820
Author(s):  
H.E. James Hammond ◽  
David W. Langor ◽  
Dustin J. Hartley

AbstractThe depth at which pitfall traps were sunk into the ground and the resulting catches of epigaeic Carabidae (Coleoptera) and Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) assemblages in subhygric to hydric ecosites with very deep organic soil layers was investigated in the upper foothills ecoregion of Alberta, Canada. Traps were installed at seven sites, with six surface traps (the pitfall trap lip <5 cm below soil surface) and six deep traps (the pitfall trap lip >20 cm below soil surface) at each site. A total of 5289 beetles representing 75 taxa were collected. There were no significant effects of trap depth on catch. Rarefaction estimates of species diversity were higher in surface pitfall traps for both taxa. The similarity of pooled catches between deep and surface traps was on average 75%, suggesting that both trap types were collecting similar faunas. We found no advantage to using deep pitfall traps in addition to surface traps to sample the epigaeic fauna of wet forest stands and peatlands.

1995 ◽  
Vol 6 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 65-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Andersen

A comparison was made betweeen the "open" pitfall trap method and quadrat sample method in microhabitats on river banks. The latter method was found to give reliable estimates of the absolute abundance of carabid beetle species. In pitfall traps individuals of the carabid beetle Bembidion schuppelii were over-represented in a sub-optimal microhabitat compared with in optimal ones. The niche-overlap between this species and B. bipunctatum was 0.19 in quadrat samples and 0.59 in pitfall traps. There was no correlation between the relative abundance of individuals of species in quadrat samples and in pitfall traps. Individuals of larger carabid species were highly over-represented compared to smaller ones in pitfall traps, an effect that was independent of diurnal rhythm and life cycle category. Biomass of larger carabid species was also overestimated in pitfall traps compared to that of smaller ones. Imagines were more efficiently captured in pitfall traps than larvae. Pitfall traps had a higher number of species than quadrat samples in all investigated sites. In four of five cases the Shannon-Wiener index gave higher species diversity in pitfall traps than in quadrat samples. It is concluded that the "open" pitfall trap method is inappropriate to study dominance ratio, the ecological role of species and perhaps the species diversity within communities. The general insight into the community structure of carabid beetles may therefore be very biased.


2000 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrice Bouchard ◽  
Terry A. Wheeler ◽  
Henri Goulet

Pitfall traps are used extensively to sample ground-dwelling arthropods for systematic and ecological studies. They are inexpensive and easy to use and can be operated for relatively long periods of time without maintenance. These traps can collect arthropods in numbers that are suitable for rigorous statistical analysis, although their efficiency is influenced by many biotic and abiotic variables (Greenslade 1964; Spence and Niemelä 1994). Typically, pitfall traps are most productive when they are buried in the substrate, with the upper edge flush with the soil surface; traps with their upper edge above the substrate are much less effective (Greenslade 1964). Because of this, studies of ground-dwelling arthropods in habitats where soil is thin or lacking, or where digging is difficult, are left with no satisfactory alternatives to pitfall traps. A ramp pitfall trap developed by Bostanian et al. (1983) is useful in these habitats because it can be placed on the ground surface without digging. However, the original metal design was strongly biased toward the collection of large (>10 mm) ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) (Bostanian et al. 1983); it was also large, bulky, and relatively expensive. In this paper, we describe a ramp pitfall trap that is inexpensive, easily constructed, and durable. The trap is light, portable, easily installed, and effective in collecting all sizes of arthropods and can be used in many habitat types.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mila Ferraz de Oliveira Martins ◽  
Marcílio José Thomazini ◽  
Dilmar Baretta ◽  
George Gardner Brown ◽  
Marcio Gonçalves da Rosa ◽  
...  

Abstract: Several studies have characterized and delimited subterranean ant assemblages. Soil extraction, one of the methods employed to access this fauna, employs the removal of monoliths. One of the most widely used methods for the extraction of soil sampling is called TSBF (developed by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Programme). This method provides relevant data about the species associated with the soil. In the present study we characterized assemblages of subterranean ants using the TSBF method in different subtropical areas of the Neotropics. We considered two sampling designs in different localities. The first design resulted in 315 TSBF samples obtained from layers at distinct depths. The second design resulted in 270 TSBF samples and 270 epigaeic pitfall trap samples. This material was used to delimit the species that occur exclusively in the subterranean stratum (TSBF) and that are not found on the soil surface. A total of 281 species were recorded. Of these, 57 can be considered subterranean, based on their occurrence in subterranean strata. We also verified that the highest occurrence of ants was in the first 10 cm of soil depth. Due to the importance of using methods that efficiently extract the subterranean ant fauna in studies, we suggest the TSBF method should be used to sample ants or to associate this method with epigaeic pitfall traps to delimit strictly subterranean assemblages in specific community stratification studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 209-213
Author(s):  
G. Asha ◽  
K.K. Navya ◽  
T.P. Rajesh ◽  
Palatty Allesh Sinu

AbstractRoller dung beetles play a pivotal role in the nutrient distribution in soil and secondary dispersal of seeds. Dung beetles are sampled either using a dung-baited pitfall trap or an exposed dung pile on the ground. While the former method is useful for a rapid survey of dung beetles, information on the ecology and behaviour of dung beetles can be lost, which the latter method provides, but underestimates species diversity due to its inefficiency in trapping rollers. Efficiency of a new method for sampling rollers—installing guarding pitfall traps around dung piles—is assessed in three habitats—contiguous tropical rainforests, fragmented forests, and disturbed used home gardens—and two diel periods—day and night. Five guarding pitfall traps were installed at 50 cm radius around dung piles. About 98% of the total rollers were sampled in pitfall traps. The habitats were similar when the roller catches of only dung piles—conventional approach—were analyzed, but were different when the rollers of guarding pitfall traps were considered. The roller abundance was negatively affected by forest fragmentation and land-use change. About 98% of the rollers were collected at daytime. Using guarding pitfall traps around dung piles is highly recommended for dung beetle diversity studies.


Author(s):  
E. Z. Shamsutdinova

We have conducted investigation of the environmental function of the desert tree of black saxaul (Haloxylon aphyllum) in the Karnabchul desert. As a result, it was found that different age plants of black saxaul had different effects on the degree of illumination. The greatest influence on the intensity of solar radiation was exerted by the saxaul plant of the black middle-aged state, the least the old generative individuals. Saxaul black had a significant impact on the temperature of the air: in the daytime, especially in the period 13-16 h, reducing the temperature under the crown and on the edge of the crown, and at night increasing it in the same areas. It also had a noticeable effect on the temperature of the soil. The temperature of the soil surface under the crown at night is higher, and during the day the warming was slower than in the outer part of the saxaul crown. Under the influence of black saxaul and soil moisture changed. Under the saxaul crown soil moisture is significantly higher compared to the control (open natural pastures). The highest soil moisture was observed in the upper soil layers at the base of the saxaul trunk. As a result, under the environmental action of black saxaul more favorable hydrothermal conditions for the growth and development of natural wormwood-ephemeral vegetation under the protection of strips and adjacent areas of pastures are formed. The result of production activities chemotaxonomic postbestowal bands consists of two following components: production of fodder mass of the Haloxylon and fodder productivity of wormwood-ephemeral vegetation of natural pastures. By increasing the yield of natural pastures under the protection of pasture protection strips and the harvest of the black saxaul fodder productivity of desert pastures increases more than twice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tili Karenina ◽  
Siti Herlinda ◽  
Chandra Irsan ◽  
Yulia Pujiastuti ◽  
Hasbi Hasbi ◽  
...  

Abstract. Karenina T, Herlinda S,  Irsan C, Pujiastuti Y, Hasbi, Suparman, Lakitan B, Hamidson H, Umayah A. 2020. Community structure of arboreal and soil-dwelling arthropods in three different rice planting indexes in freshwater swamps of South Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 4839-4849.  Differences in the index of rice planting can cause differences in the structure of the arthropod community. This study aimed to characterize the community structure of the arboreal and soil-dwelling arthropods in the three different rice planting indexes (PI) in the freshwater swamps of South Sumatra.  Sampling of the arthropods using D-vac and pitfall traps was conducted in the three different rice planting, namely one (PI-100), two (PI-200), and three (PI-300) planting indexes of the rice. The results of the study showed that the dominant predatory arthropod species in the rice fields were Pardosa pseudoannulata, Tetragnatha javana, Tetragnatha virescens, Pheropsophus occipitalis, Paederus fuscipes, and the dominant herbivorous insects were Leptocorisa acuta, Nilavarpata lugens, and Sogatella furcifera. The abundance of arboreal predatory arthropods was the highest in the PI-300 rice and the lowest in the PI-100 rice.    The abundance of soil-dwelling arthropods was the highest in the rice PI-100, and low in the rice PI-200 and PI-300, but the rice PI-100 had the highest abundance of the herbivorous insects. The rice PI-300 was the most ideal habitats to maintain the abundance and the species diversity of the arboreal predatory arthropods. Thus, the rice cultivation throughout the year was profitable in conserving and maintaining the abundance and species diversity of the predatory arthropods.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iqra Naeem ◽  
Talal Asif ◽  
Xuefeng Wu ◽  
Nazim Hassan ◽  
Liu Yiming ◽  
...  

Litter decomposition is a fundamental path for nutrient cycling in a natural ecosystem. However, it remains unclear how species diversity, including richness and evenness, affects the decomposition dynamics in the context of grassland degradation. Using a litter bag technique, we investigated the litter-mixing effects of two coexisting dominant species (Leymus chinensis Lc and Phragmites australis Pa), as monocultures and mixtures with evenness (Lc:Pa) from M1 (30:70%), M2 (50:50%), and M3 (70:30%), on decomposition processes over time (60 and 365 days). The litter bags were placed on the soil surface along a degradation gradient [near pristine (NP), lightly degraded (LD), and highly degraded (HD)]. We found that 1) mass loss in mixture compositions was significantly and positively correlated with initial nitrogen (N) and cellulose contents; 2) litter mixing (richness and evenness) influenced decomposition dynamics individually and in interaction with the incubation days and the degradation gradients; 3) in a general linear model (GLM), nonadditive antagonistic effects were more prominent than additive or neutral effects in final litter and nutrients except for carbon (C); and 4) in nutrients (C, N, lignin) and C/N ratio, additive effects shifted to nonadditive with incubation time. We speculated that the occurrence of nonadditive positive or negative effects varied with litter and nutrients mass remaining in each degraded gradient under the mechanism of initial litter quality of monoculture species, soil properties of experimental sites, and incubation time. Our study has important implications for grassland improvement and protection by considering species biodiversity richness, as well as species evenness.


2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. RASA ◽  
R. HORN ◽  
M. RÄTY

Water repellency (WR) delays soil wetting process, increases preferential flow and may give rise to surface runoff and consequent erosion. WR is commonly recognized in the soils of warm and temperate climates. To explore the occurrence of WR in soils in Finland, soil R index was studied on 12 sites of different soil types. The effects of soil management practice, vegetation age, soil moisture and drying temperature on WR were studied by a mini-infiltrometer with samples from depths of 0-5 and 5-10 cm. All studied sites exhibited WR (R index >1.95) at the time of sampling. WR increased as follows: sand (R = 1.8-5.0) < clay (R = 2.4-10.3) < organic (R = 7.9-undefined). At clay and sand, WR was generally higher at the soil surface and at the older sites (14 yr.), where organic matter is accumulated. Below 41 vol. % water content these mineral soils were water repellent whereas organic soil exhibited WR even at saturation. These results show that soil WR also reduces water infiltration at the prevalent field moisture regime in the soils of boreal climate. The ageing of vegetation increases WR and on the other hand, cultivation reduces or hinders the development of WR.;


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
ZAHLUL IKHSAN ◽  
HIDRAYANI ◽  
YAHERWANDI ◽  
HASMIANDY HAMID

Abstract. Ikhsan Z, Hidrayani, Yaherwandi, Hamid H. 2020. The diversity and abundance of Hymenoptera insects on tidal swamp rice field in Indragiri Hilir District, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 1020-1026. Hymenoptera is one of the four largest insect orders and it plays a vital role in human life as pollinators, parasitoids, and predators. Hymenoptera parasitoids are particularly important as agents of biological control of pest. The objective of this research was to study the diversity and abundance of Hymenoptera on tidal swamp rice field in Indragiri Hilir District, Riau Province, Indonesia. Samplings were conducted in 3 sub-districts of rice production centers, namely Batang Tuaka, Keritang and Reteh, using four trapping techniques (i.e. insect net, malaise trap, pitfall trap, and yellow pan trap). Shannon diversity index (H '), Krebs evenness index (E), and Jaccard similarity index (Is) were calculated. We found 4,701 individuals consisting of 39 families and 319 species of Hymenoptera at the three studied areas. Tidal swamp rice in Indragiri Hilir District had a high species diversity of Hymenoptera parasitoids and Hymenoptera predators, but a moderate species diversity of Hymenoptera pollinators. Species diversity and evenness of Hymenoptera parasitoids and predators were higher in Keritang than in Batang Tuaka and Reteh. The families of Formicidae, Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, and Scelionidae had the highest number of species, while Formicidae, Scelionidae, Diapriidae, and Braconidae had the highest number of individuals. Based on these findings, the abundance and diversity of Hymenoptera insects in Indragiri Hilir District have the potentials to be developed as biological agents to control pests on tidal swamp rice in this area.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document