Arthropods, plants, and transmission lines in Arizona: secondary succession in a Sonoran Desert habitat

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Environ. Manage.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6053494

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

Overall arthropod densities were low at this site, but the arthropod densities on the disturbed areas appeared to be enhanced after several years. No taxa were found to be statistically different in density between control and disturbed plots. Diversity decreased on the disturbed area after construction. Arthropod community similarity (C) was lower after construction, but C values appear to be related to presence or absence of annual herbs and grasses and not to total cover. Except for globe mallow, there were no pioneer plant species on the experimental plot. Effects of powerline construction on the experimental plant community were a brief reduction in total cover and a slight increase in cover of herbs and annual grasses. The 1976 and 1977 samples exhibit comparable cover values of these plants on both experimental and control plots. The dominant arthropod taxa on the experimental area (especially Thysanoptera, Cicadellidae, Coccinellidae, and Melyridae) appear to be responding numerically to the annual herbs and grasses which are becoming established on the plot.

• Research Organization: North Arizona Univ., Flagstaff
• OSTI ID: 6053494
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Manage.; (United States), Vol. 13:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARACHNIDS
ECOLOGY
CONSTRUCTION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
INSECTS
PLANTS
POWER TRANSMISSION LINES
ARIZONA
DESERTS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
ANIMALS
ARID LANDS
ARTHROPODS
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WESTERN REGION
200203* - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Waste Management- Site Selection & Land Use
510100 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989)