Effects of vegetation management on the composition and diversity of the insect community at Tianjin Binhai International Airport, China.

Abstract

The vegetation community affects the composition and diversity of the insect community in grasslands. To explore the effects of vegetation management on insect community abundance and diversity, regular mowing of the vegetation was conducted, and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne) were exclusively planted at Tianjin Binhai International Airport. A total of 1886 insects were collected, representing 8 orders, 23 families, and 29 species; Acrididae (Orthoptera), Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), and Chironomidae (Diptera) were the dominant taxa. The abundance and biomass of insects in the turf areas were significantly lower than those in the control area and were reduced by 45.8 and 48.5% in the ryegrass area, respectively. In all areas, insect abundance and biomass peaked in summer, and the abundance of individuals and taxa decreased as the temperature decreased. Greater diversity and richness were found in summer compared with the other two seasons, and the turf areas had lower diversity and richness indices than the control areas in spring and summer. Our results suggest that the abundance, biomass and diversity of insects can be effectively decreased by artificial regulation of grassland vegetation at the airport, the planting of a single turfgrass - specifically ryegrass had the greatest effect. The present study provides a theoretical basis for the ecological control of insects at the airport.