The influence of the lunar cycle on ground-dwelling invertebrates in an Arabian desert

Ground-dwelling, desert invertebrates were sampled using pitfall traps duri ng six consecutive full and new moons to test the hypothesis that the lunar cycle influences catches. Invertebrates were placed in four functional gro ups: predaceous arthropods, social insects, detritivores, and herbivores. T here were significant differences in the abundance and number of taxa of pr edaceous arthropods between full and new moons. The catch of total arthropo ds and detritivores was higher on stable gravel substrates than on mobile s and substrates. Fewer predaceous arthropods were active during full moons t han new moons, possibly because of the increased risk of vertebrate predati on. Substrate was more likely to influence diversity and abundance of non-p redaceous invertebrates than moon phase. Both factors must be taken into ac count when designing sampling regimes for biodiversity assessment in desert s. (C) 1999 Academic Press.