AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

This study was carried out in a woodland on the campus of University of Western Sydney at Richmond, Australia to investigate seasonal effects and recovery speed of arboreal arthropods after disturbance. Twenty one pairs of Melaleuca linariifolia Sm. trees were sampled using insecticide spraying in a log2 nine period sequence (1-32) of weeks supplemented by additional samples to incorporate seasonal (weeks 24 and 48) and annual (week 52) samples. Using species accumulation curves, it was found that four collectors provided a reasonable representation of a tree's fauna and that a single tree does not provide a representative sample of the arthropod fauna found on trees of this species in the study area. The application of richness and evenness indices in different seasons showed significant changes in diversity. It was clear from the findings of the study that careful attention needs to be paid to experimental design. Under replication is the normal situation in previous studies and the effects of location, season and disturbance are all critical factors affecting the estimation of diversity. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)