Influence of Pasture Management Regimes on the Abundance of Four Target Beetle Groups

Authors

Christina Doehling, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Frederick Baxendale, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Tiffany Heng-Moss, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Walter Schacht, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Abstract

Limited information is available on the impact of pasture management regimes on the local arthropod community. The objectives of this study were to identify the insect orders and families associated with managed smooth bromegrass pastures and determine the effect of three management strategies on the abundance and occurrence of 4 key beetle groups. Pitfall samples were collected weekly from June 2 until September 2during the summer of 2010. Sixty-one families of insects, representing nine orders, were collected in the traps. A predatory ground beetle in the genus Cyclotrachelus made up 71.5% of all target beetles collected. No significant differences were detected in beetle numbers among the manage­ment regimes. Results from this research suggest that any of the three manage­ment strategies evaluated could be implemented without negative impacts on the beneficial beetle groups studied

Recommended Citation

Doehling, Christina; Baxendale, Frederick; Heng-Moss, Tiffany; and Schacht, Walter (2012) "Influence of Pasture Management Regimes on the Abundance of Four Target Beetle Groups," RURALS: Review of Undergraduate Research in Agricultural and Life Sciences: Vol. 7: Iss. 1, Article 2.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/rurals/vol7/iss1/2