Secondary succession of arthropods and plants in the Arizona Sonoran Desert in response to transmission line construction

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Environ. Manage.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6001337

Johnson, C D; Beley, J R; Ditsworth, T M; Butt, S M

At a site about 16 km south of Black Canyon City, Arizona, density of arthropods on an undisturbed plot after an access road was built for powerline construction was much greater than on a disturbed plot. Mites, springtails, leafhoppers, scale insects, ants and thrips were signficantly reduced on the disturbed area. Our results indicate that restoration of numbers of arthropods on the disturbed area is dependent on the total plant cover on the plot, apparently regardless of the composition of the plant species involved. It is obvious in this area that the plant communities will remain dissimilar, with the pioneering herbaceous plants on the disturbed plot dominating. Cosntruction of a powerline apparently has had little impact on the structure of the arthropod community on the disturbed area, as proportions of three trophic categories of arthropods have not been radically altered. The results of this study, when compared to other studies in the Sonoran Desert and in desert grasslands disturbed by powerline construction, indicate that lengthy secondary succession does occur in the Sonoran Desert. Early arthropod invaders were found to be mainly herbivores, with few parasites or predators, and an equilibrium was eventually reached between colonizers and space requirements.

• Research Organization: Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff
• OSTI ID: 6001337
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Manage.; (United States), Vol. 16:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
POWER TRANSMISSION TOWERS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ARACHNIDS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CONSTRUCTION
DESERTS
ENERGY TRANSPORT
INSECTS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
ANIMALS
ARID LANDS
ARTHROPODS
ECOSYSTEMS
INVERTEBRATES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
TOWERS
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
550500 - Metabolism