Efficacy of Pitfall Trapping, Winkler and Berlese Extraction Methods for Measuring Ground-Dwelling Arthropods in Moist-Deciduous Forests in the Western Ghats

Abstract

The present study provides data to decide on the most appropriate method for sampling of ground-dwelling arthropods measured in a moist-deciduous forest in the Western Ghats in South India. The abundance of ground-dwelling arthropods was compared among large numbers of samples obtained using pitfall trapping, Berlese and Winkler extraction methods. Highest abundance and frequency of most of the represented taxa indicated pitfall trapping as the ideal method for sampling of ground-dwelling arthropods. However, with possible bias towards surface-active taxa, pitfall-trapping data is inappropriate for quantitative studies, and Berlese extraction is the better alternative. Berlese extraction is the better method for quantitative measurements than the other two methods, whereas pitfall trapping would be appropriate for qualitative measurements. A comparison of the Berlese and Winkler extraction data shows that in a quantitative multigroup approach, Winkler extraction was inferior to Berlese extraction because the total number of arthropods caught was the lowest; and many of the taxa that were caught from an identical sample via Berlese extraction method were not caught. Significantly a greater frequency and higher abundance of arthropods belonging to Orthoptera, Blattaria, and Diptera occurred in pitfall-trapped samples and Psocoptera and Acariformes in Berlese-extracted samples than that were obtained in the other two methods, indicating that both methods are useful, one complementing the other, eliminating a chance for possible under-representation of taxa in quantitative studies.

Effects of a fast-burning spring fire on the ground-dwelling spider assemblages (Arachnida: Araneae) in a central South African grassland habitat

“…Consequently, some taxa can be overestimated while other taxa can be underestimated (Lang 2000). However, they remain the most practical sampling method to acquire suitable data on the species richness of ground-dwelling invertebrates (Uetz and Unzicker 1976;Sabu and Shiju 2010), including grasslands.…”

Different collecting methods reveal different ecological groups of centipedes (Chilopoda)

“…Soil samples can be processed not only by this Berlese-Tullgren device, but by using Winkler xereclector or to be handsorted. Published comparisons favour Berlese-Tullgren funnels (SMITH et al 2008, SABU & SHIJU 2010.…”

Effects of Natural Atlantic Forest Regeneration on Soil Fauna, Brazil

“…Most of the individuals that represent Formicidae are usually restricted to the nest and thus any method of soil fauna sampling tends to underestimate the population density values for this group (Correia & Oliveira, 2000). Despite this, Formicidae is often one of the most abundant soil taxonomic groups in different forest ecosystems (Moço et al, 2005;Copatti & Daudt, 2009;Menezes et al, 2009;Morais et al, 2010;Rousseau et al, 2014), regardless the soil fauna sampling method (Sabu & Shiju, 2009). …”