Effects of Aerial Pesticide Application on Arthropod Communities in Pine Forests

摘要

This study was carried out to estimate the effects of aerial applications of fenitrothion on arthropod communities in pine forests. Since 1988 the applications have been conducted in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-province to control Monochamus alternalus Hope, a vector of the pine wilt disease, Bursapelenchus xylophilus (Steiner & Buhrer) Nickle. Abundance, species richness and community structure of arthropods in crown, undergrowth and ground of pine forests were compared between the aerial-sprayed and un-sprayed sites in the 4 regions in Busan and Gyeongsannam-province of Korea. The pesticide aerial applications did not make any significant influences on the abundances (No. individuals per sample) and taxon composition of arthropods, whereas it made some effects on species diversity. Arthropod richness (no. species per site) in undergrowth was lower in long-term pesticide applied sites than in short-term applied sites, whereas beta-diversity (heterogeneity of species) of arthropod communities in ground was lower in pesticide-treated sites than in untreated sites.