Assessment of arthropod diversity in selected farmlands in science village, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
Obudulu C.
Chibuzo C. T.
Abstract
Arthropods play a significant role in agriculture. They enhance soil health, pollinate crops and control pest populations. They contribute to increase crop yield and reduce the reliance on chemical pest control methods. This study assessed arthropod diversity across selected farmlands in Nnamdi Azikiwe University focusing on rice, cassava and maize farmlands. Arthropods were collected using a combination of pitfall trap and sweep net. The study recorded a total of 884 arthropods, with an average abundance of 147.33±28.51 per site. The rice farm exhibited the highest mean abundance (236.5±13.5), followed by the maize (103.5±7.5) and cassava farms (102±5.0). Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in abundance across sites (F=67.90, P=0.0032). A total of 28 arthropod species were identified, with the akwapimcapenter ant (Camponotus acvapimensis) being the most prevalent and the rice farm again showing the highest species richness (11.0±1.0). While species richness was not significantly different across sites (F=2.64, P=0.2179), diversity indices indicated significant variation, with cassava (1.61±0.14) and rice farms (1.27±0.05) being more diverse compared to maize (0.96±0.02; F=13.55, P=0.0315). Functional guild analysis highlighted seven feeding categories, revealing that the rice farm supported the highest abundances of various groups, including carnivores and folivores. Overall, out of the 28 species, 9 were beneficial, 3 were non-agricultural pests, 11 were major agricultural pests, and 3 categorized as minor pests. These findings emphasize the ecological roles of diverse arthropod communities in agricultural systems, highlighting the importance of specific farming practices in enhancing arthropod diversity and functionality contributing to pest management, sustainability and agricultural productivity.
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