Download or read book Investigating the Impacts of Ground Management on Arthropods in Organic Cucurbita Agroecosystems written by Logan R. Appenfeller and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reduced-disturbance ground management practices such as no-till and strip tillage (a.k.a. conservation tillage) have been demonstrated to provide several agronomic benefits that can enhance crop health. However, the effects of conservation tillage methods on arthropod communities are less understood. In this thesis, I investigated the impacts of soil management practices on pests, natural enemies, and bees with an emphasis on Eucera pruinosa (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in organic Cucurbita agroecosystems. From 2017-2019, using field experiments and a citizen science survey, I observed that different types of foliar herbivores and natural enemies varied in their response to strip tillage. Aphididae (Hemiptera) comprised the majority of foliar insect pests observed in field experiments and were more abundant in conventional tillage than in strip tillage. "Parasitica" were most frequently observed in strip tillage which may have contributed to lower Aphididae abundance. Several epigeal natural enemy taxa including Harpalus spp. (Carabidae) and Araneae were significantly more abundant in strip tillage suggesting that this practice may promote enhanced biological control. In my citizen science study, Eucera pruinosa flower visitation was approximately three times greater in reduced tillage and no-till systems than in conventional tillage suggesting that lower intensity ground management can help conserve important wild pollinators. In addition, this study demonstrated the efficacy of citizen science for collecting data across broad geographic areas and engaging the public in addressing ecological issues. Overall, my results suggest that conservation tillage methods have the potential to promote enhanced biological control and pollination services in organic Cucurbita.