Insects and Other Taxa of the O Horizon

Valentina Moreno

Co-Presenters: Jade Stetson

College: Hennings College of Science Mathematics and Technology

Major: BS.ENVIRSCI

Faculty Research Mentor: Cailin O'Connor

Abstract:

Insect biodiversity is an important indicator of ecosystem health, yet patterns of insect abundance across different habitat types remain understudied at the local scale. This research study examined how insect abundance and diversity varied across three habitats–stream-adjacent, upland terrain, and lake-adjacent–on the Kean Skylands Campus, and how these patterns shifted from winter to spring. It was hypothesized that insect diversity would vary with habitat type and that activity would increase with warmer weather, particularly near the stream habitat due to its moisture and vegetation density. Insects and other taxa of the O horizon were collected over five weeks using active searching and passive pitfall trapping. Results showed that insects were consistently the most diverse and abundant taxa across all habitats. The lake and upland sites supported broader and more stable species groups, whereas the stream site was dominated by a smaller number of highly abundant species. While insect activity was expected to rise with spring temperatures, results showed that habitat structure and conditions played a greater role in shaping insect abundance and diversity. These findings contribute to understanding local insect dynamics and highlight the importance of habitat characteristics in shaping biodiversity patterns.