Friday, August 10, 2007
Exhibit Halls 1 and 2, San Jose McEnery Convention Center
Prescribe fire has an effect on the upper ground layer that can have consequences on the invertebrate community. The aim of this study is to determine which the effects of prescribe burning in the invertebrate community are four months after it.
Pinus canariensis is the main species in the study area but also Chamaecytisus proliferus, Teline microphylla, Salvia canariensis and many annual plants can be found there. It is a northern steep slope that was chosen because it was wide enough to set all plots and treatments in similar conditions.
An area from about 50ha was divided into six treatment units. Randomly three of them where burnt and the other were used as control. In each of these units the invertebrate community was sampled by randomly setting three transects perpendicular to the slope and four plots in each transect every 15m. General data like cover of different groups of vegetation and cover and depth of humus were sampled in each plot. There was also left a pitfall tramp during a week to collect the invertebrates from the area.
Pinus canariensis is the main species in the study area but also Chamaecytisus proliferus, Teline microphylla, Salvia canariensis and many annual plants can be found there. It is a northern steep slope that was chosen because it was wide enough to set all plots and treatments in similar conditions.
An area from about 50ha was divided into six treatment units. Randomly three of them where burnt and the other were used as control. In each of these units the invertebrate community was sampled by randomly setting three transects perpendicular to the slope and four plots in each transect every 15m. General data like cover of different groups of vegetation and cover and depth of humus were sampled in each plot. There was also left a pitfall tramp during a week to collect the invertebrates from the area.
It was found that there are not significante differences in ammount and richness between treatments for orders. But as far as species ar concerned, results indicated some preferences of a species of Formicidae for burned plots while some species of Staphylinidae and Pseudoscorpionides for control.