Arthropods Diversity Associated to Almond Cultivation (Prunus dulcis L.) in Tizi-Ouzou Region

Abstract

Background: This study deals with the arthropods biodiversity restricted to almond tree plot located in Tafoughalt (Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria). The study of their diet makes it possible to identify the trophic categories in order to carry out a reasoned fight if necessary against harmful species. Methods: To do this, 03 capture methods (sweep net, Barber pots and colored traps) was used. The work is carried out from September 2021 to August 2022. Result: The captures allowed us to identify 108 species of arthropods divided into 05 classes (Arachnida, Crustacea, Myriapoda, Enthognata and Insecta), 16 orders and 54 families.The Coleoptera and Homoptera are the most important of which were with a relative frequency of 54.49% and 25.84% respectively using the sweep net. Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera are abundant in Barber pots, with a relative frequency equal to 29.38%; 25.05% and 19.36% respectively. Species belonging to the order Homoptera and Hymenoptera are the most counted in aerial yellow traps with a frequency of 26.17% and 25.5%, followed by Diptera and Coleoptera with 20.13% and 14.54%. The Shannon diversity index varied according to the sampling method; the values ranged between 3.38 bits for coloured traps, 3.34 bits for the Barber pots and 2.27 bits for the sweep net. According to the trophic status, the highest indices were recorded for phytophagous with 55% captured by sweep net, 45.07% for coloured traps and 39.68% for the Barber pots.