Abstract
Pitfall traps are widely used for sampling ground-dwelling arthropods. Their sampling efficiency is affected by several factors, e.g. material, size and modification of parts of the trap and sampling design. Pitfall trap sampling is also affected by the accumulation of plant litter in the traps, rain fall and by-catches of small vertebrates, which may cause a bias in the catch by obstructing traps or attracting certain insects. A roof that prevents rain and plant litter entering a trap, prevents dilution of the preservative and escape of arthropods. The main goal of present study was to compare the effect of four types of differently combined funnel and roof pitfall traps on the capture efficiency of epigeal arthropods. We found that a funnel and/or a roof had no effect on spider catches. Total abundance of large carabids and thus the total abundance of ground beetles was lower in funnel pitfall traps without a roof than in other types of traps. However, funnel pitfall traps with roofs collected significantly more carabid beetles, especially individuals of those species that are large or good fliers. We conclude that funnel pitfall traps with roofs have no negative effects on capture efficiency of ground beetles and spiders, therefore application of this sampling technique is strongly recommended.
Highlights
Choosing the most efficient method of sampling is crucial in studies aiming to compare invertebrate assemblages (Ernst et al, 2015)
In support of our hypothesis there was no bias in the capture efficiency of arthropods by funnel pitfall traps with a roof in this study
We showed that the suitability of different types of traps depends on the target taxa and functional group
Summary
Choosing the most efficient method of sampling is crucial in studies aiming to compare invertebrate assemblages (Ernst et al, 2015). Pitfall traps are the most widely used tools for sampling ground-dwelling arthropods in ecological studies and monitoring programs (Southwood & Henderson, 2000; Babin-Fenske & Anand, 2010; Da Silva et al, 2011; Isaia et al, 2015; Brown & Matthews, 2016). Pitfall traps are easy to transport and install; they cost little, cause relatively low disturbance and can yield a large number of individual invertebrates and species (New, 1998; Woodcock, 2005; Santos et al, 2007). Traps consist of plastic or glass containers that are dug into the ground with the top flush with ground level (Brown & Matthews, 2016). Traps contain a preservative fluid to prevent arthropods from escaping and preserve the material collected (Jud & Schmidt-Entling, 2008; Knapp & Ruzicka, 2012). There are various types of pitfall traps, which incorporate barriers, drift-fences, funnels, roofs or special components such as baits and time-sorters (Woodcock, 2005; Brown & Matthews, 2016)
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