Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Effect of Habitat Patch Characteristics on Abundance and Diversity of Insects in an Agricultural Landscape

  • Published:
Ecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to test for general effects of patch size, patch isolation, disturbance frequency, and patch life span, on density and diversity of organisms. We sampled predominantly herbivorous insects in 31 alfalfa fields that varied in size, isolation, frequency of disturbance by cutting, and age (number of years planted in alfalfa). Effects on insect relative density and diversity were examined at three taxonomic levels: all insects, eight separate orders, and six legume-specialist weevil species. We found that (a) more isolated alfalfa fields had higher overall insect richness, (b) fields with higher disturbance frequency had lower overall insect richness, and (c) fields of intermediate age had highest insect richness. In some cases these patterns were reflected at lower taxonomic levels, but in many cases they were not. These results are important because they indicate that, although we cannot simultaneously tailor a landscape for each of thousands of species, we may be able to produce desired effects at a more general level.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received 8 August 1997; accepted 2 January 1998.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fahrig, L., Jonsen, I. Effect of Habitat Patch Characteristics on Abundance and Diversity of Insects in an Agricultural Landscape. Ecosystems 1, 197–205 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100219900015

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100219900015

Navigation