Date of Award
4-22-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Biology
First Reader
Dr. Jim Taylor
Second Reader
Dr. Ruth Plymale
Third Reader
Dr. Sarah Smith
Abstract
As insect populations continue to decrease worldwide, scientists are continuing to search for answers as to why their numbers have been decreasing for decades and how anthropogenic influences play a role. One possible deleterious effect is the clearing/removal of vegetation and overgrowth in environments where insect populations are high and may depend on said overgrowth for food and safety. This paper uses the data of a 2013 study conducted on the Ouachita Baptist University campus to compare how insect populations have changed from 2013 to 2024 in areas that have been cleared of overgrowth in between that time frame. Pitfall and pan traps were used and insects were identified to Order. The results of the study found that insect populations in the areas studied had decreased significantly in between studies (4,658 insects in 2013 compared to 1,446 in 2024). Diversity in insect Order had also decreased, as nine Orders present in 2013 were absent in 2024. These findings indicate that the clearing of overgrowth in the areas studied, as well as the passage of time, may have had a negative impact on the insect populations on campus.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Ashley, Zayne, "Does Vegetation Density Affect Insect Populations? An Analysis of Insect Biodiversity on the Ouachita Baptist University Campus with essays: The Musings of a Wildlife Enthusiast" (2025). Honors Theses. 972.
https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/honors_theses/972
An Analysis of Insect Biodiversity
z.Ashley.THESISpt2.pdf (245 kB)
Essays: The Musings of a Wildlife Enthusiest