Preliminary Study on Hourly Dynamics of a Ground-Dwelling Invertebrate Community in a Farmland Vineyard.

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the hourly dynamics of ground-dwelling invertebrate communities in farmland using infrared camera traps between August and September 2022. No significant variations within 24 h nor between any two time points of each day were observed in the taxonomic richness and abundance of the entire community. However, the periods from 400 to 700 and 1300 to 2000 showed relatively high taxonomic richness, while those from 200 to 600 and 1600 to 2100 showed relatively high abundance. Millipede abundance varied significantly in a 24 h period, with higher abundance from 300 to 400 and 100 to 200. Additionally, slug, beetle, and grasshopper abundances were significantly higher from 2200 to 2300, 1700 to 1800, and 2300 to 2400, respectively. The abundance of other taxa did not show significant variations between any two time points of a day. Predominant generalist predators showed positive correlation in their activity times. These results suggest that significant variations within each 24 h period are uncommon at either community or taxa (except for millipedes) levels in farmland ground-dwelling invertebrates. Further, while most taxa had significantly preferred active hours, the total community did not. Therefore, hourly dynamics should be considered to understand biodiversity maintenance.