Arthropod distribution patterns and dispersal processes within the hedgerow.

Abstract

With increasing intensification of the agricultural landscape hedgerows play an important role as a vital resource and refuge for many invertebrate species. In this study, a methodology was designed to sample the biodiversity and mobility of invertebrates in hedgerows, by spraying a degradable pyrethroid into the hedgerow and monitoring recolonisation back into an area of sprayed hedge over time. The most abundant orders were Homoptera, Hymenoptera, Araneae, Hymenoptera, Diptera and Coleoptera which constituted 90% of all invertebrates sampled. Colonisation rates varied greatly depending on species, mobility and functional group. Only Coleoptera returned to pre-spray levels at 30 days after spraying. Their fast recolonisation rate was attributed to the predatory function of many species within this order. The results of this study have implications for hedgerow management. They provide a guide to arthropod species likely to be associated with the plant species composition of hedges, this giving baseline information for integrated pest management programmes.