Abundance of arthropods inhabiting duff and soil after prescribed burning on forest clearcuts in northern Idaho

Publication Type:

Report

Authors:

Fellin, David G.; Kennedy, Patrick C.

Source:

U.S. Forest Service, Intermountain Forest & Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT, p.8 (1972)

Call Number:

U72FEL01IDUS

URL:

http://ia700804.us.archive.org/27/items/abundanceofarthr162fell/abundanceofarthr162fell.pdf

Keywords:

Acarina, Amara erratica, arthropods, carabid, Chilopoda, Pinus monticola, Protura, Thysanoptera, Thysanura

Abstract:

Abundance of some arthropods inhabiting the duff and soil on three clearcut areas that were prescribed burned was investigated in north-central Idaho. Generally, more arthropods were present and more taxa were represented on older burns. In duff samples, the Acarina, Chilopoda, Thysanoptera, Protura, and Thysanura were most numerous in more recent burns. Acarina comprised 77% of the fauna in the duff samples. Soil samples collected before mid-July contained about 90% of the total number of individuals—mostly immatures—especially on the oldest burn. The most abundant arthropod in the soil samples on the oldest burn was the carabid Amara erratica (Sturm). Because of the abundance of this carabid and its seed-eating behavior, it is recommended that direct seeding of western white pine (Pinus monticola Dougl.) and perhaps of other conifers, be done the first or second season after prescribed burning.