Download or read book Effects of Prescribed Fire on the Diversity of Soft-dwelling Arthropods in the University of South Florida Ecological Research Area, Tampa, Florida written by Celina Bellanceau and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ABSTRACT: Leaf litter samples were used to study arthropod diversity in the University of South Florida Ecological Research Area. Arthropods were collected from different plots of different prescribed burn frequencies (1year, 2 year, 5 year, 7 year and no burn frequencies). Differential responses of arthropods to burn frequency were studied. It was expected that burn frequency would affect arthropod richness and diversity and that the pattern of diversity and richness would follow the Intermediated Disturbance Hypothesis. It was also expected that richness and diversity would be correlated with the amount of leaf litter present. Preliminary results suggest that there are short-term and long-term differences among arthropod communities in response to fire history and vegetation and that the amount of leaf litter may influence the distribution of arthropod taxa.