Ecology of the tawny mole cricket, Scapteriscus vicinus (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae): population estimation, spatial distribution, movement, and host relationships
Scapteriscus vicinus is the most important pest of turf and pasture grasses in Florida. This study develops a method of correlating sample results with true population density and provides the first quantitative information on spatial distribution and movement patterns of mole crickets. Three basic techniques for sampling mole crickets were compared: soil flushes, soil corer, and pitfall trapping. No statistical difference was found between the soil corer and soil flushing. Soil flushing was shown to be more sensitive to changes in population density than pitfall trapping. No technique was effective for sampling adults. Regression analysis provided a means of adjusting for the effects of soil moisture and showed soil temperature to be unimportant in predicting efficiency of flush sampling. Cesium-137 was used to label females for subsequent location underground. Comparison of mean distance to nearest neighbor with the distance predicted by a random distribution model showed that the observed distance in the spring was significantly greater than hypothesized (Student's T-test, p < 0.05). Fall adult nearest neighbor distance was not different than predicted by the random distribution hypothesis.
- Research Organization:
- Florida Univ., Gainesville (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5808197
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
INSECTS
POPULATION DENSITY
BEHAVIOR
CESIUM 137
ECOLOGY
FLORIDA
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOILS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM ISOTOPES
DISTRIBUTION
FEDERAL REGION IV
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPES
MATHEMATICS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
STATISTICS
USA
VARIATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
510100* - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989)