The Effects of Two Acute Stresses on the Arthropod Component of an Experimental Grassland Ecosystem

The effects of two acute stresses, mowing and burning, on the arthropod component of an experimental grassland ecosystem were investigated. Oats (Avena sativa L.) were planted in two comparable and adjacent 1-acre areas. Midway in the growing season (July), one area was mowed and the other areas was both mowed and burned. Density and biomass were used to measure the effects of both stresses on the total arthropod community, while species diversity and equitability were used to analyze the species composition and apportionment of the Coleoptera. Effects of mowing on arthropod density and biomass appeared to be relatively brief (2 weeks) as compared with those of burning (3 months). This difference was attributed to a shift from live primary producer energy to detritus in the mowed area, as compared to the almost complete destruction of the energy source in the burned area. Coleoptera species/area diversity was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the burned area. This was attributed to a greater energy supply and a larger number of ecological niches in the unburned grid. Margalef's species diversity, D = (S-1)/1nN, for the total Coleoptera community was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in response to the fire. When analyzed by trophic levels on a long-term basis, herbivorous Coleoptera species diversity was significantly reduced (P < 0.01), whereas that of the carnivorous Coleoptera was not measurably affected. Herbivorous Coleoptera equitability values, in response to mowing, exhibited a brief increase before returning to the premow level. In response to burning, however, herbivorous Coleoptera equitability values remained higher than those in the unburned area, indicating a longterm limitation of resources. Carnivore equitability values did not exhibit a long-term increase in response to the fire stress. Coleoptera responses to fire revealed that biomass, species/area diversity, and primary consumer species diversity and equitability were the most sensitive indicators for evaluating the effects of an acute environmental stress such as fire. Coleoptera responses appeared to be representative of the total arthropod community.