Adele Reid   Effect of grazing and nutrient inputs on the grassland arthropod diversity and the implications for sustainability.

The extensive use of fertilisers, exotic pasture species and high stocking rates, while leading to substantial increases in the productivity of native pastures, may also cause the deterioration of arthropod diversity within these systems. In the long-term these changes in the arthropod assemblage may affect the ability of the pasture system to function efficiently. My project examines whether variations in stocking rates and nutrient inputs affect the arthropod species richness, abundance and composition within a naturalised pasture on the Central Tablelands of NSW. The study centres on a 2 year sampling program examining the response of the arthropod assemblage to the experimental manipulation of grazing and fertiliser levels. The project also includes a number of small-scale experiments that explore the mechanisms behind any changes in the arthropod assemblage as a result of the treatments, particularly changes in the vegetation structure. Various studies, highlight the important role that arthropods play in many ecosystem processes however, it is unknown how these processes are affected by changes in the arthropod diversity. My research will quantify how the pasture treatments affect both the litter arthropod assemblage and the rate of litter loss (and indication of decomposition). This research will identify the importance of the arthropod diversity and the likely consequences of a particular practice on the long-term sustainability of the pasture systems.

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