Study

Effects of vertebrate herbivores and shrub characteristics on arthropod assemblages in a northern Arizona forest ecosystem

  • Published source details Huffman D.W., Laughlin D.C., Pearson K.M. & Pandeya S. (2009) Effects of vertebrate herbivores and shrub characteristics on arthropod assemblages in a northern Arizona forest ecosystem. Forest Ecology and Management, 258, 616-625.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Remove, control or exclude vertebrate herbivores

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation
  1. Remove, control or exclude vertebrate herbivores

    A replicated, randomized, paired, controlled study in 1999–2004 in a pine forest in Arizona, USA (Huffman et al. 2009) reported that Fendler’s ceanothus Ceanothus fendleri shrubs protected from large herbivores with exclosures had a higher abundance of moths than unprotected shrubs. Results were not tested for statistical significance. On protected shrubs, 0.03–0.20 individual moths/plant, from three families, were recorded, compared to no moths on unprotected shrubs. In 1998–1999, trees <36 cm diameter were thinned in three experimental units (14–16 ha), and sixty Fendler’s ceanothus Ceanothus fendleri shrubs/unit (1–25 upright stems, covering <2 m2) were located. In 1999, thirty shrubs/unit were randomly selected, and had 4-m2, 1.4-m-high exclosures built around them. Exclosures had a large mesh (5 × 10 cm) on the sides, and open tops. In June 2002–2004, insects including moths were sampled by sweep netting (five sweeps/shrub, 20–50 cm above ground) through a subset of 30–52 shrubs/year (see paper for details), and identified to family level.

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)

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