Abstract:
The effects of habitat complexity and fertilization mode on arthropod community structure in cotton fields were investigated to guide ecological control of insect pests. The study included treatments of different combinations of habitat and fertilization. In the experiment, no straw mulch (A
1) and straw mulch (A
2) were designed as simple- and complex-structure habitats, respectively. Compound fertilizer 90 kg(N)·hm
-2 (B
1), compound fertilizer 90 kg(N)·hm
-2 with biogas fertilizer 90 kg(N)·hm
-2 (B
2) and compound fertilizer 90 kg(N)·hm
-2 with urea 90 kg(N)·hm
-2 (B
3) were designed as fertilization modes. Ten cotton plants were sampled in each plot in the parallel jumping method. The species and individual number of arthropods in each plant and the 0.25 m
2 land surface beneath the plant were counted and recorded on a weekly basis. The results showed that the individual number of spiders (counted as individuals for every 10 plants) was higher in A
2 (391.1±70.1) than in A
1 (226.8±29.3). Also the dominant enemy species
Pardosa astrigera (also counted as individuals for every 10 plants) was higher in A
2 (171.7±13.3) than in A
1 (59.3±9.8). Then the dominant index for spiders was higher in A
2 (0.527±0.089) than in A
1 (0.258±0.049). The diversity index of insect pests was higher in A
2 (1.459±0.067) than in A
1 (1.245±0.249). The evenness index of insect pests was also higher in A
2 (0.635±0.040) than in A
1 (0.588±0.100). The individual number of insect pests was significantly higher in A
2 (772.4±206.9) than in A
1 (1 156.4±243.7). Based on the number of individuals per 10 plants, the target insect pest
Syleptahn derogata number in A
2 and A
1 were respectively 320.8±80.6 and 659.5±254.8. The dominant insect pest index in A
2 was 0.311±0.029 while that in A
1 was 0.400±0.107. Also the diversity index of spiders in A
2 was 0.997±0.169 while it was 1.584±0.138 in A
1. The evenness indexes of spiders in A
2 and A
1 were 0.536±0.073 and 0.803±0.052, respectively. Also based on individual number per 10 plants, the insect pests numbers in B
1, B
2 and B
3 were respectively 1 015.3±344.1, 714.0±152.2 and 1 164.0±168.9. Those of the target insect pest
S. derogata in B
1, B
2 and B
3 were respectively 552.0±253.8, 280.6±63.7 and 638.0±256.0. The indexes of the dominant insect pests were 0.370±0.055 in B
1, 0.282±0.022 in B
2 and 0.414±0.111 in B
3. Then the diversity indexes of the insect pests in B
1, B
2 and B
3 were respectively 1.324±0.228, 1.511±0.066 and 1.222±0.200. Also the diversity indexes of spiders in B
1, B
2 and B
3 were respectively 1.167±0.374, 1.418±0.373 and 1.286±0.262. Then the evenness indexes of the insect pests were 0.600±0.039 in B
1, 0.683±0.043 in B
2 and 0.550±0.081 in B
3. The indexes of the dominant spiders in B
1, B
2 and B
3 were 0.457±0.175, 0.353±0.167 and 0.368±0.123, respectively. The corresponding evenness indexes of the spiders were 0.613±0.160, 0.701±0.130 and 0.695±0.168, respectively. Then the diversity indexes of predatory insects in B
1, B
2 and B
3 were 1.190±0.153, 1.496±0.179 and 1.474±0.125, respectively. The individual numbers of insect pests, the target insect pest
S. derogate, the indexes of the dominant insect pests, the diversity indexes of insect pests, and the evenness indexes of the insect pests were significantly influenced by the interaction between habitat complexity and fertilization mode. The species number of spiders was also significantly influenced by the interaction between habitat complexity and fertilization mode. Habitats of the dominant species enemy
P. astrigera improved under straw mulching in cotton fields. This significantly enhanced the ability of
P. astrigera to control
S. derogate. Population growth of
S. derogate did not enhanced by compound and biogas fertilizers.