%A Jing Yan, Guoliang Zhang, Ruihai Zhang, Zhen Song, Xiaohong Zhao, Yusheng Liu, Weidong Fu %T The effect of Flaveria bidentis litter decomposition on the structure of arthropod communities %0 Journal Article %D 2016 %J Biodiv Sci %R 10.17520/biods.2016047 %P 1288-1295 %V 24 %N 11 %U {https://www.biodiversity-science.net/CN/abstract/article_8893.shtml} %8 2016-11-20 %X

An investigation was conducted between fall 2014 and 2015 to illustrate litter decomposition of the non-native plant species Flaveria bidentis and its effects on the structure of local arthropod communities. The survey was implemented in four different habitats, including forestland, cultivated fields, uncultivated land and ditches, which were all invaded by F. bidentis. The collection yielded a total number of 17,466 individuals belonging to 8 classes from 18 orders dominated by Arachnoidea and Psocoptera. In all habitat types, the numbers of arthropod individuals collected from F. bidentis treatments were noticeably more than those collected from neighboring plants as a control treatment (by 11-53%). Throughout the survey season, species richness and diversity index of arthropods were usually higher in the F. bidentis litter than those in the control, and reached significant levels at the peak of F. bidentis growth. Results also showed that F. bidentis litter decomposed faster than the litter of neighboring plants. Other results also suggested that the effects of F. bidentis litter on arthropod might be associated with the extent of human disturbance, indicating that habitats rarely visited by humans such as uncultivated land and ditches might be affected more than forestland and cultivated fields, which had greater intensity of human activity. In summary, the invasion of F. bidentis changes the community structure of arthropods and increases the diversity of arthropods in four habitat types.