Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed

Joe McCaffreyProf. Entomology

Dept. Plant, Soil, & Entomogical Sci.University of IdahoMoscow, ID 83844-2339

jmccaffrey@uidaho.edu208-885-7548

Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed

•Research funding was not in place.

•Travel funding from Department of Plant, Soil, & Entomological Sci.

•This facilitated sampling before and after treatments.

Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed

•Impacts on above and below ground insects and mites

•Important to soil building and nutrient processes

Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed

• Anxiety:– Soil insect and mite

populations may be negatively affected by nonthermal treatments, especially for those involved with nutrient cycling.

• Alternatively, it’s good or it doesn’t matter.

Alternatives to Burning

• Sampling organisms involved with litter decomposition and nutrient cycling:– Pitfall Traps – Core samples

Springtails: some feed on the decomposing litter. Small creatures <5 mm.

Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed

Pitfall Trap Sampling

Cup partially filled with preservative buried flush to the ground

Impacts of soil inhabiting Arthropods on nutrient cycling.

Core Samples: about 4” diam.

Core samples with Tullgren funnel:

Screen

funnel

Vial with alcohol

Core sample

Heat from light bulb

Organisms are sorted, identified, and counted.

Alternatives to Burning

– Core samples

– Pitfall samples •In each case the number of organisms can be large.

•Sorting and identification takes a lot of time, even for an experienced person.

Microfauna and Macrofaunal Samples

PitfallSamples

IDStatus  

Core samples

ID Status

Mosman, Dave Oct. 14, 2002 Done   Oct. 28, 2002 Done  

Nov. 11, 2002     Nov. 11, 2002 x  

May 05, 2003     May 05, 2003 Done  

Jun. 20, 2003     Jun. 20, 2003    

Aug. 04, 2003     Aug. 04, 2003    

Sep. 04, 2003     Sep. 04, 2003    

Oct. 08, 2003     Oct. 08, 2003    

Alternatives to Burning

– Core samples

– Pitfall TrapsFunctional groups:

1. Herbivore

2. Detritivores

3. Fungivores

4. Predators

5. Parasitoids

6. Non-trophics

Alternatives to BurningHypotheses - Nonthermal treatments:

• Populations of organisms that aid litter decomposition will increase.

• Any and all changes will vary across cultivars and production environments.

Mosman Pitfalls Oct. 2002

0.00

50.00100.00

150.00200.00

250.00300.00

350.00400.00

450.00500.00

Mea

n N

o. A

rth

rop

od

s

Chem / Fallow Harvest / Burn

Treatment

PREDATORS

PARASITES

DETRITIVORES

HERBIVORES

FUNGIVORES

NOT - TROPHIC

Ramsey Pitfalls Oct. 2002

1.00

10.00

100.00

1,000.00

10,000.00

Mea

n N

o.

Art

hro

po

ds

Full Load Burn Bale & Burn Bale, Mow,Harrow

Bale,Mow,Har-Syst.

Treatment

Predators

Parasites

Detritivores

Herbivores

Fungivores

Not-trophic

Alternatives to BurningHypotheses - Nonthermal treatments:

Any and all changes will vary across cultivars and production environments.

Yes, only in part, but hey, it’s a start.

Am I right?

Let’s look!

Joe’s brain in action.

Alternatives to Burning

•Insect and mite numbers are of limited value without more information.

•Insect and mites representing each functional group will be correlated to biological and physical properties relating to:

1.litter decomposition

2.nutrient cycling

Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed

Russ Biggam

Anne Radavich

Miranda Bates

Brad Harmon

Jodi Johnson-Maynard

Karl Umiker

I appreciate the help of the following people:

Questions?