Ground-dwelling arthropod assemblages across a vegetation gradient occupied by Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus) in the Oklahoma Panhandle

Ground-dwelling arthropod community composition was evaluated using pitfall traps to capture arthropods, which were identified to the family level. Sampling occurred in Beaver, Oklahoma at Beaver Wildlife Management Area from May 13th to August 15th, 2012.  Sampling was conducted by placing two pitfall traps in each of four vegetation zones (riparian, lowland, ecotone, upland)  along six transects. Data was analyzed at the levels of abundance, family richness, Hill’s Diversity, evenness, community composition and size class. The highest abundance of arthropods occurred in the riparian vegetation zone (n = 28,617). The greatest diversity of arthropods and highest evenness occurred in the ecotone vegetation zone (n = 72 families,E5 = 0.55498). The 7 most abundant families collected were Hypogastruridae (n= 32,143), Formicidae (n=10,184), Isotomidae (n=4,130), Staphylinidae (n=691), Sminthuridae (n=500), Tenebrionidae (n= 307), and Carabidae (n=223). The most abundant size class was between 2.1 and 5 mm (n= 19,456). Isopoda (n= 9,134) and Aranaeae (n= 1,006) were the most abundant non-insect orders, and were primarily found in the riparian and ecotone zones respectively. Further sampling for ground-dwelling arthropods will be conducted in Beaver and Packsaddle Wildlife Management Areas in western Oklahoma during the spring and summer of 2013.