Ground-dwelling arthropods are ubiquitous, easily sampled, and well-studied. There is a strong foundation of available literature linking their functional traits to both local and landscape-scale environmental characteristics. Therefore, these organisms represent a useful system for introducing students to the cross-cutting theme of structure and function at an organismal scale within the 4DEE framework. In this lab-based module, students will 1) discuss primary literature and develop hypotheses, 2) set pitfall traps for arthropod collection in the field, 3) sort and identify collected arthropods, 4) measure body size as a functional trait, and 5) graphically explore the relationship between functional traits and environmental characteristics. This module is completed in two three-hour lab periods with additional homework. Students conduct a pre-lab assignment introducing functional traits. They then discuss a paper, set pitfall traps, and take simple vegetation measurements (height and density) during the first lab. In the second lab, students sort collected arthropods to morphospecies and examine the simple functional trait, body size. The lab culminates with the creation of graphs comparing body length to habitat characteristics. While this module introduces the concept of structure and functional traits, the data collected could also easily be targeted at other ecological concepts such as biodiversity or community assembly. Additionally, this module could be modified to incorporate additional functional traits or to survey different habitat types or extended to include species identification through metabarcoding.
Payton Phillips (Thu,) studied this question.