Insect General Surveys at Los Fresnos
Students Integrating Academics and Conservation, University of Arizona
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We are gathering data on the general abundance and diversity of insects found at Los Fresnos. For these surveys we are identifying species to order, family, and/or morphospecies.
Two main results have emerged from these preliminary studies. First, one year following grassland burns, some orders of insects are more abundant (e.g., orthoptera, lepidoptera), while other orders are less diverse (and abundant, e.g., hymenoptera). Second, areas of the ranch with non-native grasses have lower diversities of some orders of insects (e.g., hymenoptera).
Some of the grassland insects captured during sweep net surveys
Brad Christoffersen, Steve Foldi, and Ellen Suurmeyer sort insects collected during a sweep net survey
We are conducting surveys of the flora and fauna of Los Fresnos. See links for preliminary descriptions.
