PLANT AND ANIMAL INTERACTIONS IN THE “BOTANICAL LOST WORLD” OF THE BIBB COUNTY GLADES.

Abstract

As arthropod populations continue to decline, it is imperative that sensitive ecosystems are continually monitored and associations between plants and arthropods are documented. The ketona dolomite glades of Bibb County, AL are prime examples of a sensitive ecosystems as they only occur over a very narrow range, contain eight endemic species and over 60 species of conservation concern. From 2016 to 2018, We observed and tracked the inter-specific interactions between populations of plants and arthropods, specifically class Insecta, in Kathy Stiles Freeland Bibb County Glades Preserve. In May of each year, undergraduate students from the University of North Georgia used ecological field techniques to observe evidence of plant-arthropod associations such as herbivory and parasitical behavior, identified plants to genus or species, and collected/identified insects. Four habitat types were chosen to observe and compare associations: large glade, small glade, mixed hardwood dominated forest, and a pine dominated forest. Multi-Dimensional Scaling Analyses(MDS) were performed between the habitats for each year to determine if habitat type was a good indicator of association types and if associations changed over time. The associations varied by habitat type with variation seen between the glades themselves as well, but most variation was driven temporally by year and due to a burn event that took place during the study time. The size and the habitat type surrounding any glade greatly influences the associations and assemblages found in said glade, and annual variation along with habitat type dictates which associations will be present within a plant community.