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Leaf Litter Diversity: Influences on Arthropod Diversity

Leaf Litter Diversity: Influences on Arthropod Diversity. Taylor Patterson Individual Research Project SEE-U 2000 - B2C. Background Information. Study of biotic diversity Leaf litter parent material is consumed by a wide array of arthropods as a primary food source

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Leaf Litter Diversity: Influences on Arthropod Diversity

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  1. Leaf Litter Diversity: Influences on Arthropod Diversity Taylor Patterson Individual Research Project SEE-U 2000 - B2C

  2. Background Information • Study of biotic diversity • Leaf litter parent material is consumed by a wide array of arthropods as a primary food source • Divergent insects are attracted to certain leaf litter species • Will increase in litter variety influence this attraction?

  3. Does species of leaf litter parent material influence diversity of arthropods lured? Does leaf litter diversity cause total number of arthropods to increase in abundance? Will the range of morphospecies variation increase or decrease? Hypothesis

  4. Methodology • Leaf litter debris was collected from Arizona Sycamore (Platanus wrightii) and common Oak (Quercus virginiana) • 3 treatments of 5 each: single species Sycamore, single species Oak, and mixed species Sycamore/Oak were deposited in chicken wire cubes • Uniformly watered with 1/3 liter • Duration of 6 days • Litter weight of 350 g. was collected from each cube • Specimens were recovered using mesh sift, insect sheet and aspirators • Arthropods were catalogued to morphospecies

  5. Data: Table 1-A

  6. Data: Chart 1-1

  7. Results • Single species Sycamore attracted 94 individuals from 45 distinct morphospecies • Single species Oak attracted 48 specimens from 26 species • Mixed species leaf litter attracted 150 individual arthropods from 56 morphospecies • Jacard Index of Beta Diversity: 3 treatments are very unsimilar

  8. Conclusion • Broadened litter diversity affirmatively influences the abundance of arthropods present • Broadened litter diversity affirmatively influences the variety of morphospecies noted • Most diverse leaf treatment was the most plentiful and variant in terms of insects present

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