What's bugging the bugs? Effects of manipulated habitats on soil arthropod communities within the same soil type.

Abstract

We studied soil arthropod communities in three distinct habitats that share the Au Gres soil type. The natural habitat of the study area was forest of Populus grandidentata (aspen). The other habitats, a meadow and a Pinus resinosa (red pine) plantation had been manipulated in order to create these habitats. By sampling random plots within each habitat type, we were able to count the number of individuals identified by order found in each habitat. We evaluated the richness, abundance and diversity of the arthropod communities. The pine plantation had the highest species richness and abundance of arthropods. The aspen forest had the highest level of diversity of the three habitats. We determined predator-prey ratios within and across the three habitats in order to evaluate trophic interactions in the area. We measured abiotic factors in each habitat in order to correlate relationships between richness of arthropods and environmental conditions. Order richness across the three habitats was negatively correlated with soil temperature and light intentisy and positively correlated with soil moisture. No correlations were made between air temperature and richness. The only correlation that was made within an individual habitat type was a negative correlation of richness and soil moisture in the aspen forest. The natural aspen habitat of the study area contained the highest diversity of arthropods indicating that manipulation of the area decreased the diversity of the arthropod communities.