Distribution of ground-dwelling arthropod communities in prairie agroecosystems and grasslands

The Canadian prairies are characterized by large patches of agroecosystems surrounded by remnant grasslands interspersed with prairie potholes. Monitoring the quality and health of these landscapes is crucial for characterizing overall ecosystem health and function. Ground dwelling-arthropods provide a valuable tool, as their ease of collection and contribution to ecosystem services make them ideal candidates for monitoring surveys. Additionally, little is known about the distribution of arthropods throughout the prairies. Filling this knowledge gap can provide valuable information to conservation and insect management efforts.

The aim of this study was to understand ground dwelling arthropod abundance and diversity throughout the prairies. Sites sampled include five of each canola, barley, wheat, and seeded grassland fields located within 100km of Saskatoon, SK, Canada. Three pitfall traps were located on two 150m transects, with traps located at 0m, 75m, and 150m at each site. One of the transects started from a prairie pothole edge, while the other originated from the field edge. Trap collection occurred every three weeks during the summers of 2018, 2019, and 2021. Additionally, four native grasslands located within 50km of Saskatoon, SK, Canada, were sampled in 2021. Pitfall traps were placed in patches dominated by either grasses or shrubs, with trap collections occurring every three weeks throughout the summer. Collected specimens were curated and identified to family where possible. A PERMANOVA and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to analyze the data. Preliminary results indicate a difference in seeded grassland community composition when compared to crop fields