Abstract
A population survey of insects was conducted at peach orchards in Okayama Prefecture, western Japan, every 2 weeks during May–October in 2011. Pitfall traps were used to sample more than 4000 insects at 10 orchards: 8 orchards where ground vegetation had been managed by mowing and 2 with management by herbicide application. Numbers of insect species (species richness) and numbers of insects captured in pitfall traps (trap catches) were greater after mowing. Details of the effects of mowing on insect communities were examined at four orchards that had been mowed. Results suggest that species richness and trap catches increase up to 5 days after mowing and then return to their original state. Increased species richness and trap catches were mainly attributable to the increase of ants (Formicidae) and carabids (Carabidae). These results suggest that ants and carabids actively seek prey animals that have been killed, injured, or damaged by mowing.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan through the research project ‘Selection of functional biodiversity indicators and development of the assessment methods’ and the Ohara Foundation for Agricultural Research. The authors thank K. Nakano (Okayama City), M. Hayashi (Hoshizaki Green Foundation), M. Maruyama (Kyushu University), U. Jinbo, T. Kishimoto (Japan Wildlife Research Center), T. Mita (Tokyo Agricultural University), H. Yoshitomi (Ehime University), M. Sugimoto (Urasoe City), and M. Mizumoto (Okayama City) for helpful suggestions.
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Sonoda, S., Yamashita, J., Koshiyama, Y. et al. Short-term effects of mowing on insect communities in Japanese peach orchards. Appl Entomol Zool 48, 65–72 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-012-0153-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-012-0153-3