Influence of Weed Management Practices on Ground-dwelling Arthropod Assemblages in Organic and Conventional Apple Orchards

Abstract

Ground-dwelling arthropods are important components in apple orchard providing beneficial ecological services of predation and decomposition as well as herbivory. Groundcovers are managed differentially in organic and conventional apple orchards influencing ground-dwelling arthropod assemblages. We conducted 3-year studies to assess the effects of orchard management relative to weed management on the abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling arthropods using pitfall trapping. Most arthropods were classified as higher taxonomical groups and functional feeding guilds, while carabid beetles were classified into species level. Coleoptera was the dominating taxon of all ground-dwelling arthropods. Abundance of herbivores and predators was significantly higher in organic apple orchards than conventional ones. Higher abundance and diversity of carabid beetles were found in organic orchards than in conventional orchards. The abundance of Araneae, Coleoptera, or carabid beetles was negatively correlated to weed management frequency. It was found that ground-dwelling arthropods were more influenced by weed management practices than the farming systems.