Effect of cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica) management strategies on the abundance and diversity of arthropod natural enemies in longleaf pine stands

Cogongrass, an invasive weed, is an aggressive threat to endangered long leaf pine ecosystems. Cogongrass creates a monotypic expanse, altering plant communities and likely impacting communities of arthropods. In Alabama, burned and unburned stands of pine with cogongrass subsequently treated with herbicides or a revegetation treatment in a split plot design. Arthropod diversity in plots, 10 m x 10 m, were assessed biweekly from March to October with pitfall traps and sweep samples. Arthropod natural enemies were identified to family and counted in the lab. Populations of natural enemies in each treatment were analyzed and results will be presented and discussed.