Arthropod Abundance Research Articles

Differential responses of soil arthropods to the application of biogas slurry and biochar in a coastal poplar plantation

As critical drivers of ecosystem functionality, soil fauna are sensitive to soil management such as organic amendments. However, the effects of organic amendments on soil fauna communities are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the differentiated responses of soil arthropod communities to the application of biogas slurry (BS) and biochar (BC) in a newly established poplar plantation on reclaimed coastal land. Compared with the control, the application of BS increased the abundance of soil arthropods by 113–253%, whereas the application of BC decreased it by 35–74%. Furthermore, the total taxonomic richness and Shannon index of the soil arthropods increased under the BS treatments and decreased under a high-dose BC treatment. Arthropod abundance and diversity under the BS treatments correlated with the increased biomass (46–76%) of leaf litterfall, fine roots, and undergrowth vegetation, elevated soil water and nitrogen concentrations (28–254%), as well as neutralized soil pH. In contrast, arthropod abundance and diversity under the BC treatments were correlated with decreased fine root biomass and increased soil alkalinity. These results suggested that BS and BC applications exert different effects on arthropod communities, probably linked with the differential direction and extent of the modification on plant food resource and soil variables in the newly reclaimed coastal lands.

Canopy arthropod declines along a gradient of olive farming intensification

Arthropod declines have been linked to agricultural intensification. However, information about the impacts of intensification is still limited for many crops, as is our understanding of the responses of different arthropod taxa and trophic groups, thus hindering the development of effective mitigation measures. We investigated the impacts of olive farming intensification on canopy-dwelling arthropods in the Mediterranean region. Intensification involves the increased use of agrochemicals, mechanisation and irrigation, but also structural changes from traditional orchards with low densities of large and old trees, to intensive and superintensive orchards with high to very high densities of smaller and younger trees, respectively. Canopy arthropods were vacuum-sampled at 53 sites representing the three orchard intensification levels, in spring, summer and autumn 2017. We evaluated how the arthropod community varied across intensification levels, and in response to orchard structure, management and landscape context. We found no changes in the diversity of arthropod taxa across intensification levels after correcting for sample coverage, but arthropod abundance declined markedly along the intensification gradient. Decreased abundance was associated with changes in orchard structure, lower herbaceous cover, and higher herbicide and insecticide use. The abundance of a specialized olive pest was lower in landscapes with higher woodland cover. The negative effects of intensification were stronger in spring and summer than in autumn, and parasitoids and predators were particularly affected. Overall, results suggest that retaining herbaceous cover, reducing agrochemical inputs and preserving natural woody elements in the landscape, may contribute to mitigate impacts of olive farming intensification on canopy arthropods, particularly on beneficial species.

Conservation Biological Control of Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella): Effects of Two Aromatic Plants, Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and French Marigolds (Tagetes patula).

Simple SummaryIntercropping apple trees with aromatic plants is a way to attract natural enemies and strengthen biological control services. However, the effects of aromatic plants are still unclear under field conditions. Here, we studied the potential of two aromatic plant species to promote codling moth natural enemies in a full factorial experiment. Ocimum basilicum increases codling moth parasitism. Tagetes patula has a general negative effect on both the codling moth and its natural enemies. We do not find a reduction in codling moth density or damaged apples on trees associated with aromatic plants.The addition of flowering companion plants within or around crop fields is a promising strategy to strengthen pest regulation by their natural enemies. Aromatic plants are frequently used as companion plants, but their effects on natural enemies remain unclear under field conditions. Here, we evaluated the effects of two aromatic plant species on the parasitism of the codling moth (Cydia pomonella) and the recruitment of predatory arthropods (spiders, earwigs) in a factorial field experiment. Apple trees were intercropped with basil (Ocimum basilicum), French marigolds (Tagetes patula), or ryegrass (Lolium perenne). The association between apple trees and O. basilicum increases codling moth parasitism, but does not affect arthropod predator abundances. Furthermore, we find a general negative effect of T. patula on arthropod diversities and abundances, including the pest and its natural enemies. Finally, changes in the parasitism rate and arthropod community structure due to the aromatic plants do not reduce codling moth density or associated apple damage. Further experiments are needed to determine the mechanisms involved in aromatic plant effects on pest repellence and on natural enemy recruitment (volatile organic compound composition, floral resource supply, or pest density dependence).

Does compensatory mitigation restore food webs in coastal wetlands? A terrestrial arthropod case study on the Upper Texas Coast

Compensatory wetland restoration is a critical component of holistic, ecosystem-level oil spill response strategies. An important goal of restoration is to rehabilitate food webs in impacted areas, but faunal assemblages and trophic dynamics are rarely included in post-restoration monitoring or assessments of success. Different approaches to wetland restoration, including variations in construction technique, may influence faunal recovery and trophic interactions. To explore these dynamics, we compared emergent plant communities, terrestrial arthropod assemblages, and trophic interactions in restored emergent marshes that were constructed in terrace and mound configurations and in reference areas in the Lower Neches Wildlife Management Area (Texas, United States). Plant community composition differed among all habitat types, with higher diversity on terraces and in reference marshes. Terrestrial arthropod abundance was similar among habitat types, but species composition was distinctly different among habitat types, especially at the herbivore level, where four of the eight herbivore species were found in either reference or restored sites, but not in both habitat types. Herbivores (primarily beetles and planthoppers) were more abundant than detritivores (midges and flies) in all habitat types. Predator (web-building and hunting spiders) abundance and species identity were similar among habitat types. Based on stable isotope analysis, trophic relationships differed among mounds, terraces, and reference areas. Herbivore diets were more variable at the reference sites than in either restored habitat type, aligning with higher plant diversity in reference areas. In contrast, detritivore diets were more variable at restored sites, where they were likely consuming food sources such as benthic algae or sediment organic matter. Predator diets were primarily comprised of herbivores in reference areas and detritivores in restored habitats. Overall, the restoration approaches supported abundant terrestrial arthropod assemblages, but species composition was different. In addition, trophic relationships differed between restored and reference areas, in part due to unique plant species assemblages at restored and reference sites. These results suggest that ecosystem restoration strategies that introduce geomorphological heterogeneity and plant diversity are more likely to support a diverse array of species and functions.

Landscape diversity influences the arthropod species diversity in the rice field

Landscape diversity is one of the key drivers for maintaining ecosystem services in agricultural production by providing vital habitats and alternative food sources for beneficial insects and pollinators within the agricultural landscapes. The landscape structure, land uses, and diversity differ between geographic locations. However, how the changes of landscape structure and land use diversity affect the arthropod diversity in a geographic area is poorly understood. Here, we tested the impact of landscape diversity on the rice locations in Bangladesh. Results ranged from highly diversified to very highly diversified in Chattogram (>7.9), to highly diversified (0.590.79) in Satkhira and moderately (0.390.59) to less diversified (0.190.39) in Patuakhali. These significant different landscape diversities influenced the arthropod diversity in rice fields. Arthropod species diversity increases with the increase in the Land Use Mix (LUM) index. The maximum tillering stage of rice growth harbored higher abundance and species diversity in rice fields. Moreover, we found that vegetation is the most important factor influencing the abundance of arthropods. Extensive agriculture and forest contributed substantially to predicting arthropod richness. Meanwhile, barren land and high-density residential land as well as intensive agriculture had large impact on species diversity. This study indicates that landscape diversity plays a vital role in shaping the species diversity in rice fields, providing guidelines for the conservation of arthropod diversity, maximizing natural pest control ecosystem service and more secure crop production itself.

Influence of Turfgrass Parameters on the Abundance of Arthropods in Sod Farms.

Sod farms, where turfgrass is commercially produced, have a unique system, in which sod is harvested within 2 yr after planting. Understanding the turfgrass factors that influence the abundance of predators, herbivores, detritivores, and parasitoids that inhabit turfgrass paves the foundation for developing effective pest management programs. However, little is known about those factors in sod farms. The objective of the study was to determine the influence of turfgrass height, density, and thatch thickness on abundance of arthropod taxa in sod farms. The study was conducted at 18 and 10 sod field sites in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Four pitfall traps were deployed at each site. In 2019, each site was sampled in May, June, and July, whereas in 2020, each site was sampled in June and August. In 2019, the numbers of predatory heteropterans were two times greater in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) than in zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.). The numbers of predatory mirids, Spanogonicus albofasciatus (Reuter), and carabids significantly decreased with increases in turfgrass height. In 2020, the abundance of staphylinids increased as the thatch thickness increased. The abundance of Sphenophorus spp. adults were significantly greater in bermudagrass than in zoysiagrass in 2020 and were more abundant in the denser turfgrasses in both years. The predatory arthropods were positively correlated with increased densities of cicadellids, whereas predatory mirids were positively associated with cicadellids, delphacids, and chrysomelids. These results have implications on management of arthropod pests in sod farms as abundance of beneficial arthropods are influenced by turfgrass factors.

Vegetation influences desert soil arthropods and their response to altered precipitation

Altered precipitation in the arid southwestern USA will influence both plant and soil communities, but relatively few studies explore its impact on soil arthropods who comprise an important component of soil food webs. Further, while vegetation has a well-documented influence on soil communities, it is unclear how the plant community might influence their response to altered precipitation. We altered both the size and frequency of monsoon season precipitation pulses in the Sonoran Desert and measured the resulting soil arthropod abundance, diversity, and composition. We manipulated the precipitation for two dominant shrubs representing distinctly different functional types compared to interplant spaces. Plant cover significantly influenced soil arthropods, with the deep-rooted evergreen Larrea tridentata increasing abundance and diversity over interplant spaces more strongly than the drought-deciduous Ambrosia deltoidea. Precipitation pattern altered arthropod diversity and evenness, particularly in interplant soils. While soil arthropod total abundance was resistant to altered precipitation, vegetation buffered Shannon diversity from the impacts of altered precipitation. Thus, climate-induced changes in the plant community could indirectly influence soil arthropod diversity. However, these plant-soil interactions may not be equally important under all scenarios of altered precipitation.

Does coastal armoring affect biodiversity and its functional composition on sandy beaches?

Sandy beaches are increasingly squeezed due to the construction of backshore man-made structures (i.e., coastal armoring) and current global changes. Coastal armoring impacts beach sediment dynamics, inducing erosion and habitat loss, threatening biodiversity processes and the functional roles of sandy beach organisms. Here, we examine how the abundance, taxonomic richness, and functional richness of sandy beach fauna are affected by coastal armoring. We compared macrobenthic infaunal communities on five armored beaches (with backshore urban structures) and five vegetated beaches (not-armored). We also evaluated the abundance and biomass of upper-beach arthropods using pitfall traps, comparing armored and vegetated segments within the beaches. Infaunal richness and abundance were lower at armored beaches, mainly in the subtidal zones, because of a reduction in polychaete and molluscan abundance. There was no difference in overall functional richness between the armored and vegetated beaches. Nevertheless, we found that functional groups such as small suspension feeders were more associated with armored beaches, while large-bodied species and predators were more frequent at vegetated beaches. Pitfall traps showed that coastal armoring also reduced the abundance of the upper-beach coleopteran Phaleria testacea, leading to a loss of biomass. Therefore, our data suggest that coastal armoring can influence the functional composition of sandy beach biodiversity and significantly impact macrobenthic abundance and biomass.

Impact of Transgenic Cry1Ab/2Aj Maize on Abundance of Non-Target Arthropods in the Field.

Transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize has broad prospects for application in China. Before commercialization, it is necessary to assess possible ecological impacts, including impacts on non-target arthropods (NTAs) in the field. In the present study, transgenic Bt maize expressing cry1Ab/2Aj and its corresponding non-transformed near isoline were planted under the same environmental and agricultural conditions, and arthropods in the field were collected during the three main growth stages of maize. In a one year trial, the results showed the composition of NTA communities in the transgenic and control maize fields were similar. There were no significant differences for community-level parameters of species richness (S), Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′), evenness index (J) and Simpson’s dominant concentration (C) between the two types of maize fields. Likewise, a Bray–Curtis dissimilarity and distance analysis showed that Cry1Ab/2Aj toxin exposure did not increase community dissimilarities between Bt and non-Bt maize plots and that the structure of the NTAs community was similar on the two maize varieties. Furthermore, planting of the transgenic cry1Ab/2Aj maize did not affect the density or composition of non-target decomposers, herbivores, predators, parasitoids and pollinator guilds. In summary, our results showed that planting of Bt maize producing Cry1Ab/Cry2Aj proteins do not adversely affect population dynamics and diversity of NTAs.

Quantifying services and disservices provided by insects and vertebrates in cacao agroforestry landscapes.

Animals provide services such as pollination and pest control in cacao agroforestry systems, but also disservices. Yet, their combined contributions to crop yield and fruit loss are mostly unclear. In a full-factorial field experiment in northwestern Peru, we excluded flying insects, ants, birds and bats from cacao trees and assessed several productivity indicators. We quantified the contribution of each group to fruit set, fruit loss and marketable yield and evaluated how forest distance and canopy closure affected productivity. Fruit set dropped (from 1.7% to 0.3%) when flying insects were excluded and tripled at intermediate (40%) compared to high (greater than 80%) canopy cover in the non-exclusion treatment. Fruit set also dropped with bird and bat exclusion, potentially due to increased abundances of arthropods preying on pollinators or flower herbivores. Overall, cacao yields more than doubled when birds and bats had access to trees. Ants were generally associated with fruit loss, but also with yield increases in agroforests close to forest. We also evidenced disservices generated by squirrels, leading to significant fruit losses. Our findings show that several functional groups contribute to high cacao yield, while trade-offs between services and disservices need to be integrated in local and landscape-scale sustainable cacao agroforestry management.

Effects of retained dead wood on predation pressure on herbivores in young pine forests.

Retention of logging residue as dead wood could be a method to simultaneously increase biodiversity and predation rates of pest insects, in managed forests. Managed forests are generally low in diversity, and dead wood has been demonstrated to increase species diversity. Moreover, managed forests are predicted to suffer from higher frequency of insect outbreaks in the future, particularly in the northern hemisphere. In this study, we explore the effect of dead wood removal and addition in managed pine forest stands in Sweden on arthropod diversity and abundance and predation rates. We performed a controlled field experiment, focusing on logging residue type of dead wood. We used pitfall traps and sticky traps to measure arthropod diversity and abundance and plasticine larvae to assess predation rates. We specifically targeted generalist arthropods (i.e. non-wood living species), and predation rate on tree-dwelling larvae (corresponding to defoliating outbreak pests). We found no effect of dead wood addition on arthropod abundance or diversity, neither did we find an effect on predation rate. Despite the lack of effects in our study, we argue that dead wood can be an important component for both biodiversity of generalist arthropod and for pest control, but the effect may depend on both the specific arthropod group targeted and the specific life stage of the pest insect as well as on inherent components of the dead wood, such as age.

Arthropod biodiversity in tropical forest litter around Nagpur (Maharashtra)

A study on litter arthropod population was carried out in four tropical dry region distributed in forest areas of Indian state of Maharashtra India. The study was conducted in an around Nagpur, lakeside region and tropical dry region vegetation types. The leaf litter present inside a 1 m2 quadrat was collected, shifted in polythene bags. Total 195 litter arthropods representing 13 insect orders were recorded from the forty unit (15cm x 15cm) samples collected from four tropical region sites viz. (Site 1:- Gorewada lake, Site 2:- Ambazari lake, Site 3:- Futala lake, and Site 4:- Civil line forest). The insect orders, Hymenoptera, Isoptera, Thysanura, and Orthoptera dominated the litter arthropod abundance, and the top five orders contributed 73% of the total litter arthropods collected from all the four tropical dry region of Nagpur, India. The results of this study will initiate future research on litter arthropod population and their diversity and abundance in Nagpur forest.

Impact of mowing frequency on arthropod abundance and diversity in urban habitats: A meta-analysis

Urbanization is an important driver of global insect decline. Yet, recent studies have demonstrated the potential of greenspaces in cities to promote biodiversity conservation. One of many factors negatively affecting arthropods in urban areas are unsuitable habitats, as non-woody greenspaces predominantly consist of manicured lawns. Maintenance practices such as high mowing frequencies, can have direct and indirect negative impacts on the local flora and fauna. The present study examines the effects of different mowing regimes on arthropod abundance and diversity by conducting meta-analyses of studies assessing the effect of mowing on arthropod abundance (46 datasets) and taxa richness (23 datasets) in urban environments. Due to a geographical bias in the literature, only data from the temperate, northern hemisphere are analyzed. While our meta-analysis on arthropod abundance showed a medium positive effect (effect size: g = 0.54) of reduced mowing, the cumulative positive effect of reduced mowing on arthropod taxa richness was large (g = 1.25). Grouping the studies not only resulted in lower heterogeneity, but also showed that manicured lawns disproportionately favor the abundance of “pest” species as well as ground-dwelling arthropods. There was also a significantly higher abundance of winged insects on sites with reduced mowing as compared to arthropods without wings. Overall, the findings of the present meta-analysis strongly support the notion that a reduction in mowing frequencies in urban greenspaces benefits insect biodiversity.

Impact of no-tillage and straw on detritivorous arthropods on the surface on the soil in bean crops

Detritivorous arthropods are essential because they participate in recycling organic matter, decomposing pesticides, improving soil properties, conserving water, and reducing problems with plant diseases. Practices such as no-till and straw on soils can affect soil properties and populations of detritivorous arthropods. Brazil is the largest producer and consumer of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). Thus, this work aimed to determine the impact of no-till and straw planting on detritivorous arthropods on the "surface over ground" in common bean crops. In this way, common beans were cultivated in tillage and no-till with and without straw on the soil. During cultivation, the density of detritivorous arthropods on the soil was monitored using a pitfall trap. Sixteen morphospecies of detritivorous arthropods were observed on the surface of the ground. No-tillage and straw did not affect the number of detritivorous arthropod species. The most abundant morphospecies was the Collembola Entomobryidae and Hypogastrura sp. and the Coleoptera Scarabaeidae and Colopterus spp. No-till and straw positively affected the abundance of detritivorous arthropods. Therefore, no-tillage and straw in bean crops provide conditions for increasing detritivorous arthropod populations, improving soil properties.

Aplikasi Pupuk Organik terhadap Diversitas Arthropoda Akuatik serta Performa Tanaman Padi Hitam pada Ekosistem Sawah

The aquatic ecosystems in rice fields has macroorganisms such as aquatic arthropods which have an important function in the food web. The siam weed and neem cake can be utilized as organic fertilizer to support the productivity and biodiversity of the paddy field, This research aims to understand application of organic fertilizer on diversity of aquatic arthropods and black rice performance in the field ecosystem. The experiment was carried out in paddy field at Jatinangor from January to June 2020. The method used was an experimental method with a Randomized Complete Block Design consisted of five treatments (neem cake, siam weed compost, cow manure, synthetic fertilizer and control) with six replications. The result showed that the abundances of aquatic arthropods have tendency to be higher in neem cake at 1104 individuals and siam weed compost treatments at 905 individuals compared to the cow manure, NPK and control. Furthermore, the diversity index of the aquatic arthropods in all treatments were categorized as moderate with details as follow neem cake (H’=1,726), cow manure (H’=1,450); synthetic fertilizer (H’=1,458); siam weed compost (H’=1,450) and control (H’=1,502). In addition, the evenness index (E) of aquatic arthropods was higher in neem cake treatment (E=0,623) compared to other treatments. Whereas, the dominance index (C) and richness index (R) in all treatments showed no dominant species and it classified as low category. The results also showed that the siam weed compost were not significantly different with all treaments except NPK (synthetic fertilizer) in plant hight, tiller number and SPAD value.

Abundance and Diversity of Soil Arthropods in Different Habitats in Chitwan Nepal

Arthropod diversity is generally influenced by the type of habitat in an agro-ecosystem. Crop diversity, soil types, nature of habitats (intensive, semi-intensive and natural), proximity to natural habitats, landscape complexity etc. are the major arthropod diversity influencing factors. Hence, this study was designed to investigate the diversity of various arthropod species among different habitats such as mango orchard, litchi orchard, vegetable field, organic field and uncultivated land during March 2021. Arthropod sampling was taken on every three- day interval using pitfall trap. The composition, relative abundance, and diversity indices of the arthropods of five different habitats were analyzed. Maximum abundance was recorded in uncultivated land (N = 398) and minimum in the vegetable field (N = 61). Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index (1.76) and species richness (9.67) were found highest in mango orchards. The greatest evenness was recorded in the vegetable field (0.91) and more dominance index was recorded in uncultivated land (0.60). There was a significant difference in total abundances of arthropods between vegetable fields than in the organic and uncultivated fields, being highest in uncultivated land followed by litchi, mango and organic field. Hymenopterans were the most abundant order (53.55%) followed by Coleoptera and Arachnida. These arthropods were crop pests and beneficial. Beneficial arthropods population was more than crop pests. Such beneficial arthropods play a vital role to deliver an ecosystem service. This study can help to develop a conservation and management protocol for beneficial arthropods in the agro-ecosystem.

Invertebrate abundance increases with vegetation productivity across natural and agricultural wader breeding habitats in Europe

Grassland breeding waders have been steadily declining across Europe. Recent studies indicating a dramatic decline in grassland invertebrates' abundance and biomass, the key food of most grassland wader chicks, suggest a likely driver of the demise of waders. While agricultural intensification is generally inferred as the main cause for arthropod decline there is surprisingly little information on the relationship between land use intensity and total arthropod abundance in grasslands. Here, we explored those relationships across several key wader breeding habitats by surveying ground-active, aerial and soil-dwelling invertebrate communities in five European countries that range from natural undisturbed bogs to intensively managed grasslands. Using maximum vegetation growth and soil moisture content we investigated how they shape the size of the invertebrate community within and across different countries. We found predominantly positive relationships between grassland invertebrate abundance, biomass and body weight with increasing vegetation growth and soil moisture. Maximum vegetation growth was strongly positively related to ground-active invertebrate abundance and biomass and abundance of soil dwelling invertebrates (mainly earthworms). Body weight of aerial invertebrates furthermore increased with increasing maximum vegetation growth. Our results provide little support for the hypothesis that agricultural practices associated with intensification of grassland management result in an abundance decline of invertebrate prey for wader chicks. Conservation practices aiming to enhance wader chick survival require a careful balancing act between maintaining habitat productivity to secure high prey abundance, and keeping productivity low enough to maintain open swards that do not need to be cut before chicks have fledged.

The Effect of Habitat Type and Prescribed Fire on the Abundance of Arthropod Prey for the Endangered Florida Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus)

The introduction of nonnative grazers and plants, as well as alterations to native fire regimes in grassland systems, can directly and indirectly affect the abundance of arthropods. In this study, we used sweep-net sampling at two sites occupied by the critically endangered Florida grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus Mearns) in Osceola County, Florida, to assess how the abundance of all arthropods (orders pooled) and the four most common arthropod orders varied between native dry prairie and semi-improved cattle pasture habitat (2015–2016). We also examined the role of time since fire and fire season on arthropod abundance in both habitat types. The abundance of all arthropods, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, and Coleoptera was higher in pasture than dry prairie, but the mean body length of Orthoptera was smaller in pasture. Fire year and fire season did not affect arthropod abundance when data from both sites were combined. However, when examined separately, Orthoptera at the dry prairie site were more abundant in habitat burned in the current year than previous years, supporting the hypothesis that Florida grasshopper sparrows preferentially select recently burned prairies because they support greater resource availability. Orthoptera at the pasture site showed no significant response to fire year or season. This study is important because it is the first to compare arthropod prey abundance for Florida grasshopper sparrows across dry prairie and pasture habitat and has important implications for prescribed fire management.

Relações de escala de artrópodes do solo e a estrutura da vegetação de fitofisionomias de Cerrado

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to assess the scale relationships of soil arthropods and the vegetation structure of Cerrado phytophysiognomies. The experimental plots were set in areas with dense Cerrado (T1), typical Cerrado (T2), and sparse Cerrado (T3). The edaphic fauna was collected at 128 points through pitfall traps, and the vegetation was evaluated in subplots of 9 m2. The data were evaluated using descriptive statistics, geostatistics, multifractal analysis, and joint multifractal analysis. The soil arthropods and vegetation structure were adjusted to a geostatistical model, except for arborescent plants (T1) and arthropod abundance and arboreal plants (T2), which showed a pure nugget effect. The studied variables showed different degrees of multifractality. The graphs of joint multifractal dimension showed circular lines with high values of joint correlation for the pairs of arthropod richness versus the abundance of plant strata (r = -0.498), arthropod richness versus herbaceous plants (r = 0.323), and arthropod richness versus arboreal plants (r = 0.451) at T1. The soil fauna was influenced by the composition of the plant strata. The plots with dense Cerrado (T1) and sparse Cerrado (T3) showed the greatest spatial dependence between the samples. The multifractal analysis showed that the plot with sparse Cerrado (T3) had the greatest heterogeneity of measurement along the geometric support. In contrast, the greatest asymmetry of the singularity spectrum was described for the plot with dense Cerrado (T1). The use of geostatistical and multifractal analysis tools enabled us to characterize the scale relationships between the variables.

Surveillance of venomous arthropods on a Nigerian Public University campus

Background: Venomous arthropods are arthropod species that use toxins for defense and offense. The objective of this study was to assess the biodiversity and abundance of venomous arthropods on the premises of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Pitfall traps, sticky, and bait traps, beating and knockdown, and active search and handpicking with forceps were the methods used to collect various arthropods on the university campus. The data collected during this study were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences version 23.0. Results: A total of 1,070 venomous arthropods were collected from the study areas, and they belong to four classes, six orders, fourteen families, and twenty-two species of the phylum Arthropoda. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that venomous arthropods are widespread on the NAU, Awka campus. Regular fumigation of the university premises is important in preventing human injuries, and infectious diseases carried by some arthropods.