1. Arthropod Diversity and Cover Crops By Jeffrey Taylor August 11,2003 Pennsylvania State University

2. Arrival of the Study Land owner Steve Groff is interested to see what the benefits of long-term cover cropping are Land owner Steve Groff is interested to see what the benefits of long-term cover cropping are

3. Hypothesis Fields with the least disturbance and a cover crop would have the greatest diversity and abundance of arthropods Fields with the least disturbance and a cover crop would have the greatest diversity and abundance of arthropods

4. Study Area Most Disturbed -Long term no-till ~20 years Least Disturbed -Pasture and then 7 years in no-till www.countryside-management.org.uk/ heathland/grazing.htm www.oznet.ksu.edu/notill/ images/nf_corninmay2.jpg

5. Study Area Sixteen plots Sixteen plots –4 Long term no-till with a cover crop –4 Long term no-till without a cover crop –4 Short term no-till with a cover crop –4 Short term no-till without a cover crop

6. Study Area

7. 2003: Field corn in a rye cover crop 2003: Field corn in a rye cover crop 2002: Soybeans in a rye cover crop 2002: Soybeans in a rye cover crop http://www.sdnotill.com/membersh.htm

8. Methods of Collection Pitfall Trap Catches surface insects Tullgren Traps Catches soil insects

9. Methods of Calculation Abundance Abundance -Addition of all insects caught Diversity Diversity -Shannon index -Shannon index -D=-Σp i logp i -D=-Σp i logp i

10. Factors Diversity Diversity Abundance Abundance Herbivore Herbivore Predators Predators Detritivores Detritivores

11. Collection Dates Tullgren: July 15, 2003 July 28, 2003 July 28, 2003 Pitfall: July 15-17, 2003 July 28-30, 2003 July 28-30, 2003

12. What was Found

13. In The Pitfalls Orthoptera-crickets Orthoptera-crickets Hymenoptera-ants Hymenoptera-ants Isopoda-pill bugs Isopoda-pill bugs Araneae-spiders Araneae-spiders Ant Pill bug Cricket

14. In the Tullgren Traps Mites Mites Collembola-springtails Collembola-springtails Diptera-flies Diptera-flies springtail Mesostigmatid mite

15. Results treatments do not differ significantly at p> 0.05 aa

16. Results a, b indicate treatments that differ significantly at p< 0.05 a a b b a a a a b b

17. Results Total Abundance OrganicMatter Long term no-till with no cover crop 32.772.8% Long term no-till with cover crop 29.633.0% Short term no-till no cover crop 19.143.6% Short term no-till with cover crop 13.524.7%

18. Conclusion Only the tullgren traps were studied in-depth Only the tullgren traps were studied in-depth Population may be migrating between plots Population may be migrating between plots Abundance of Arthropods was greater in the long term no-till fields Abundance of Arthropods was greater in the long term no-till fields soils.usda.gov/sqi/SoilBiology/ ATLAS103_LR.jpg

19. Conclusion Michael Hutson studied that diversity may decrease as fertility of soil increases Michael Hutson studied that diversity may decrease as fertility of soil increases -competitors completely dominate fertile environments -competitors completely dominate fertile environments http://www.markscollection.com/christian/images/eden_riveroflife.jpg

20. www.stitchability.co.uk/ permin_cross_stitch_samplers_7.htm