1. Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed Joe McCaffrey Prof. Entomology Dept. Plant, Soil, & Entomogical Sci. University of Idaho Moscow, ID 83844-2339 jmccaffrey@uidaho.edu 208-885-7548

2. Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed Research funding was not in place. Travel funding from Department of Plant, Soil, & Entomological Sci. This facilitated sampling before and after treatments.

3. Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed Impacts on above and below ground insects and mites Important to soil building and nutrient processes

4. Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed Anxiety: –Soil insect and mite populations may be negatively affected by nonthermal treatments, especially for those involved with nutrient cycling. Alternatively, it’s good or it doesn’t matter.

5. Alternatives to Burning Sampling organisms involved with litter decomposition and nutrient cycling: –Pitfall Traps –Core samples Springtails: some feed on the decomposing litter. Small creatures <5 mm.

6. Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed Pitfall Trap Sampling Cup partially filled with preservative buried flush to the ground

7. Impacts of soil inhabiting Arthropods on nutrient cycling. Core Samples: about 4” diam.

8. Core samples with Tullgren funnel: Screen funnel Vial with alcohol Core sample Heat from light bulb Organisms are sorted, identified, and counted.

9. Alternatives to Burning –Core samples –Pitfall samples In each case the number of organisms can be large. Sorting and identification takes a lot of time, even for an experienced person.

10. Microfauna and Macrofaunal Samples Pitfall Samples ID Status Core samples ID Status Mosman, Dave Oct. 14, 2002Done Oct. 28, 2002Done Nov. 11, 2002 x May 05, 2003 Done Jun. 20, 2003 Aug. 04, 2003 Sep. 04, 2003 Oct. 08, 2003

11. Alternatives to Burning –Core samples –Pitfall Traps Functional groups: 1.Herbivore 2.Detritivores 3.Fungivores 4.Predators 5.Parasitoids 6.Non-trophics

12. Alternatives to Burning Hypotheses - Nonthermal treatments: Populations of organisms that aid litter decomposition will increase. Any and all changes will vary across cultivars and production environments.

13. Mosman Pitfalls Oct. 2002

14. Ramsey Pitfalls Oct. 2002

15. Alternatives to Burning Hypotheses - Nonthermal treatments: Any and all changes will vary across cultivars and production environments. Yes, only in part, but hey, it’s a start. Am I right? Let’s look! Joe’s brain in action.

16. Alternatives to Burning Insect and mite numbers are of limited value without more information. Insect and mites representing each functional group will be correlated to biological and physical properties relating to: 1.litter decomposition 2.nutrient cycling

17. Alternatives to Thermal Treatment of Grass Seed Russ Biggam Anne Radavich Miranda Bates Brad Harmon Jodi Johnson-Maynard Karl Umiker I appreciate the help of the following people:

18. Questions?