Author(s):

Akpabio E.E, Esenowo I.K, Akpan A.U, Akpan E.J.

Abstract: This study was conducted to assess the pattern of arthropods diversity in contrasting habitats in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. Soil arthropods were collected from September to November 2012 in cultivated and fallowed farmland using pitfall trap. A total of 290 individuals of soil arthropods belonging to eight (8) orders; Hymenoptera, Isoptera, Araneae, Diptera, Diplopoda, Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera and Isoptera, were encountered during the study. The order Hymenoptera accounted for the most abundant in the cultivated farmland (59%) and fallowed farmland (48%), while Lepidopterans were the least in the cultivated farmland (1.93%) and fallowed farmland (2.15%). The fallowed farmland recorded the highest diversity (Shannon’s Wiener index) value of 2.06 and richness index (R) value of 2.37 as compared to the cultivated farmland that recorded 1.80 for diversity index and 1.9 for richness index. This was probably due to availability of vegetation canopy which provided different niches to the arthropods in the fallowed land. Therefore, sustainable farming practices should be adopted so as to ameliorate the impact of agricultural practices on arthropods and other soil organisms, and to restore the integrity of the soil ecosystem.

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