Ground flora and associated arthropod communities of forest road edges in Connemara, Ireland

Abstract

Forest road edges in a conifer plantation in Connemara, Ireland weresampled for ground flora and associated terrestrial invertebrates along thenorthern edge of a forest road bordered by conifers (Conifer 1 site),broadleaves (Broadleaf site) and a clearfelled area (Open site). In addition,the southern edges of the road bordered by a clearing (Scallop site) and of anadjacent forest road bordered by conifers (Conifer 2 site) were sampled. Medianground plant species richness per quadrat was lower at the Conifer sites than atthe other sites. A positive relationship between plant species richness andlight levels was apparent. Median arthropod morphospecies richness per sweep wassignificantly greater (P < 0.01) at the Broadleaf site(39.0) than at the Conifer 2 site (25.5). Median morphospecies richness forHemiptera was significantly greater at the Open (7.0) and Broadleaf (6.5) sitesthan at the Conifer 1 site (2.0, P < 0.001) and Conifer2 site (2.0, P < 0.01). For Diptera, medianmorphospecies richness was significantly greater at the Open site (13.5) than atthe Conifer 1 site (6.0, P < 0.01), Conifer 2 site (6.0,P < 0.001) and Scallop site (8.0, P< 0.05). There was a positive relationship between plant species richness andarthropod morphospecies richness with stronger species richness relationshipsevident between plants and Diptera and between plants and Hemiptera,respectively. The results of this study suggest that open spaces and broadleafplantings in this commercial conifer plantation in the west of Ireland could beimportant for biodiversity.