Date of Award

2014

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Awarded

Master of Science (MS)

Program

Entomology

Department

Entomology

College

Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources

Faculty Advisor

Prischmann-Voldseth, Deirdre

Description

Soil-dwelling arthropods contribute to agroecosystems, but it’s unclear how specific taxa respond to weed management practices. Objectives were to explore 1) response of Collembola to weed management in a glyphosate-tolerant soybean system and 2) impacts of weed management and soil arthropod reduction (via insecticide) on soil and plant parameters. Weed management had variable effects on Collembola, whereas location had a consistent effect on diversity and density. Increased weed pressure decreased soil nitrate and reduced soybean yield. Reduction of soil arthropods didn’t impact soil nitrate or yield, but increased the number of soybean root nodules. This could be due to decreased root herbivores, or overcompensation of the plant. Previous research emphasized effects of plant communities on soil arthropods, but our study suggests soil properties strongly influence arthropod communities. Although this study does not show obvious benefits of soil arthropods, long term insecticide application may be detrimental to crop production.

Rights

NDSU policy 190.6.2

Rights Link

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Handle Identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27538

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