Diversity and Abundance of Ground-dwelling Arthropods in Canadian Prairie Agroecosystems

This project aims to evaluate ground-dwelling arthropods which are present in restored semi-natural grasslands, preserved grassland environments, and prairie agricultural fields that contain prairie potholes. Insects and other arthropods collected with pitfall traps in these areas will be identified, pinned, and stored in an extensive collection. Specimens collected from the agricultural fields containing prairie potholes will provide an idea of arthropods that local and migratory waterfowl may feed upon in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). Those collected from restored semi-natural and preserved grassland sites will be directly compared to determine if semi-restored grasslands are
effective at imitating natural environments. All specimens will be added to a large-scale database that can be used to perform statistical analyses to determine trends and relationships. Additionally, this project presents one of the largest general collecting efforts in Saskatchewan to date, facilitating large-scale understanding of arthropods present within the province.

Faculty Supervisor:

Sean Michael Prager

Student:

Partner:

Ducks Unlimited Canada (MB)

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture and Food; Life Sciences (not health); Environmental Science and Technology

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program: