A COMPARISON OF RELATIVE ABUNDANCE AND BIOMASS OF GROUND-DWELLING ARTHROPODS UNDER DIFFERENT FOREST MANAGEMENT-PRACTICES

Habitat structural characteristics and relative abundance and biomass of ground-dwelling arthropods were compared among four replicated stan d treatments: intense burning and salvage logging; clearcutting follow ed by roller-chopping (100% soil surface disturbance); clearcutting fo llowed by bracke seeding (30% soil surface disturbance); and naturally regenerated mature, forested sand pine scrub. Arthropods were classif ied by taxa and by mean maximum width. Monthly trends in abundance and biomass of arthropods captured are described. Mature forest differed from the three disturbance treatments in most habitat structural featu res, but disturbance treatments were similar. Total numbers and dry we ight did not differ among treatments but more individuals and biomass of arthropods less than 5 mm mean maximum width occurred in burned sit es. There were significantly more arthropods 10 mm or less in mean max imum width than over 10 mm, but arthropods 5-10 mm had the highest bio mass. The relative abundance of some taxa differed among treatments, a nd taxa differed in monthly capture rates. Total numbers and biomass o f captured arthropods were greatest from late May through November.