Invertebrate Bidiversity Backgrund infrmatin Insects and ther invertebrates are essential fr any healthy ecsystem. Invertebrates aerate the sil, eat plant pests, pllinate flwers, and prvide fd fr ther rganisms such as birds and small mammals. Ecsystems with high invertebrate diversity may be mre stable ver time and able t supprt a greater diversity f plants and animals. High diversity in an ecsystem can als affect ecsystem services. Ecsystem services are resurces and prcesses generated by ecsystems that benefit humans. Fr example, fd, water, energy, air quality, water purificatin, disease cntrl, nutrient cycling, seed dispersal, and recreatin are all ecsystem services. Cre data sampling methds: Sticky traps: Detailed sampling fr flying insects is perfrmed with sticky traps. One sticky trap is placed int each plt fr ne week prir t cllecting. Pitfall traps: Detailed sampling fr grund-dwelling insects and ther invertebrates is perfrmed with pitfall traps. One pitfall trap is placed int each plt fr ne week prir t cllecting. Optinal sampling methds: Scuting: The general ccurrence and abundance f invertebrates within each plt is assessed with scuting. Scuting cnsists f detailed inspectin f sil and individual plants fr insects within a 0.25 x 0.25m area f the plt. Sweep netting: Sweep netting can als prvide data n general ccurrence and abundance f invertebrates that fly and/r perch n plants. In additin t the prvided Invertebrate Guide, yu may find the fllwing websites useful: bugguide.net [Click n insect drawings n left t get details and phtgraphs] Timeline/Frequency Dichtmus keys fr winged (keya) and wingless (keyb) insects: www.amnh.rg/learn/bidiversity_cunts/ident_help/text_keys/arthrpd_keya.htm www.amnh.rg/learn/bidiversity_cunts/ident_help/text_keys/arthrpd_keyb.htm Sticky traps and pitfall traps are used t cllect insects and ther invertebrates during the fall between September and Octber. Optinal sampling methds can be used at any time, but yur sampling will be mst successful in late spring and early fall. pg.1
STICKY TRAP PROCEDURE (Required fr cre data) Sticky Traps Petri dishes fr srting invertebrates 1-meter high stakes Plastic wrap 1. Place a 1-meter high stake int randm lcatin in plt. (See ʻRandmizatin Prcedureʼ prtcl.) 2. Attach the sticky trap t the stake. 3. Leave sticky trap fr 1 week. 4. After 1 week, cllect sticky trap, wrapping it in plastic wrap r cvering with a plastic Ziplc bag. 5. Identify each invertebrate t rder using the Invertebrate Guide. 6. Cunt and recrd the number f individuals f each rder. Recrd yur results n the Invertebrate 7. Phtgraph and describe any invertebrate yu cannt identify. Identify this invertebrate later. List 8. Repeat fr each plt. Mdified frm Insect Abundance KBS023 LTER Prtcl, 1995, http://lter.kbs.msu.edu/prtcls/ PITFALL TRAP PROCEDURE (Required fr cre data) Small plastic cup Trwel r sil auger Magnifying glasses Tweezers 1. Randmly select a lcatin in the plt (See ʻRandmizatin Prcedureʼ prtcl.) 2. At the sampling lcatin, dig a hle just large enugh fr the cup t fit inside. 3. Fill the cup 3/4 full with sapy water. 4. Leave the cup fr 1 week. 5. After 1 week, cllect the invertebrates in the cup (pur cntents f cup int a Ziplc bag). 6. Identify each invertebrate t rder using the Invertebrate Guide. 7. Cunt and recrd the number f individuals f each rder. Recrd yur results n the Invertebrate 8. Phtgraph and describe any invertebrate yu cannt identify. Identify this invertebrate later. List 9. Repeat fr each plt. Mdified frm Insect Abundance KBS023 LTER Prtcl, 1995, http://lter.kbs.msu.edu/prtcls/ pg.2
SCOUTING PROCEDURE (Optinal) 0.25m x 0.25m frame 1. Place frame at randm lcatin in the plt using the ʻRandmizatin Prcedureʼ prtcl. a. Sides f the frame shuld be parallel t the plt brders. b. Place the center f the frame n the lcatin identified frm the ʻRandmizatin Prcedureʼ prtcl. Nte: If disturbance (walking path, animal burrw, previus harvest, etc.) is present in the area, repeat the ʻRandmizatin Prcedureʼ t select a new sampling lcatin. c. Wrk the frame thrugh the standing plants t the grund surface such that: N plant stems rted utside f the frame are lying inside the frame. N plant stems rted inside the frame are lying utside the frame. 2. Search the grund and plants inside the frame and use the Invertebrate Guide t identify rganisms by rder. 3. Cunt and recrd the number f individuals f each rder. Recrd yur results n the Invertebrate 4. Phtgraph and describe any invertebrate yu cannt identify. Identify this invertebrate later. List 5. Repeat fr each plt. Mdified frm KBS063: Abve Grund Primary Prductivity (ANPP)-GLBRC Extensive sites http://lter.kbs.msu.edu/prtcls/115, Carl Baker SWEEP NETTING PROCEDURE (Optinal) Nte: Sweep netting is mst successful when plants are at least 6 inches tall. Sweep nets White paper r trays 1. Fr each sweep, swing net thrugh tps f plants in ne directin (frm right t left r frm left t right). Angle pening f net slightly dwn s tp f net pening hits plants befre bttm f net pening. 2. Take 3 sweeps f each plt. 3. After the 3 sweeps, quickly mve the net thrugh the air t mve all f the invertebrates t the bttm f the net bag. Grasp the net bag abut halfway dwn t clse the invertebrates in the net. 4. Empty invertebrates nt white paper r tray. 5. Identify each invertebrate t rder using the Invertebrate Guide. 6. Cunt and recrd the number f individuals f each rder. Recrd yur results n the Invertebrate 7. Phtgraph and describe any invertebrate yu cannt identify. Identify this invertebrate later. List fr each invertebrate yu cannt identify. 8. Repeat fr each plt. Mdified frm UC IMP Alfalfa Sampling with a Sweep Net pg.3
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/r1900311.html Invertebrate Bidiversity Data Sheet Switchgrass = S Fertilized = F Harvested = H Prairie = P Unfertilized = UnF Unharvested = UnH Names: Schl District: Instructr/Fellw: Date: Time: Weather: Schl / Lcatin Name: Blck Cde: Plt Treatment Descriptin (Ex: P F UnH): Cllectin methd (Sticky Trap, Pitfall Trap, Scuting, Sweep Net) All insect rders are listed in the table belw. Use the empty rws near the bttm f the table t write in any unknwn invertebrates. Insect Order Cmmn Name (Scientific Name) Ants, Bees, Wasps (Hymenptera) Beetles & Weevils (Cleptera) Bugs, Cicadas, Aphids (Hemiptera) Butterflies and Mths (Lepidptera) Cckraches (Blattdea) Dragnflies and Damselflies (Odnata) Earwigs (Dermaptera) Flies and Msquits (Diptera) Grasshppers, Katydids, Crickets (Orthptera) Lacewings (Neurptera) Praying mantids (Mentdea) Termites (Isptera) Walking Sticks (Phasmida) Springtails (Cllembla) pg.4
Mayflies (Ephemerptera) Scrpinflies (Mecptera) Caddisflies (Thrichptera) Other Invertebrate Order Cmmn Name (Scientific name) Spiders, Daddy lng legs, Ticks (Arachnida) Centipedes (Chilpda) Millipedes (Diplpda) Earthwrms (Clitellata) Snails and Slugs (Gastrpda) Pillbugs (Malacstraca) Unknwn Invertebrates & Descriptin pg.5