Fire, mowing and soil moisture levels have no significant effects on underground arthropod population and diversity

Abstract

Biologists use burning and mowing in prairie restoration to investigate their impacts on the prairie community, including plants and arthropods. Because underground arthropods play a crucial role in the prairie ecosystem as decomposers and bioindicators, it is important to understand how they are affected by burning and mowing. We conducted a study at CERA using 20 plots with a combination of burning and mowing, in order to examine the roles these treatments have on the diversity and population of underground arthropods. In addition, we analyzed the effects of soil moisture levels on underground invertebrates by manipulating this factor in a controlled lab experiment. Our results indicated that burning, mowing and their interaction had no significant effects on arthropods population or diversity. We also found no significant effects of soil moisture levels on arthropod populations.