Promoting effect of intercropping on insect diversity in Chinese plum-tea or medical dogwood-tea or chestnut-tea intercrop plantations
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Key Words:Chinese plum, medical dogwood, chestnut, tea, intercrop, biodiversity
Abstract: The effects of intercropping on insect community diversity and community structure were investigated in plantations of Chinese plum-tea, medical dogwood-tea or chestnut-tea. Within 6 intercropped plantations, the richness and abundance of insects, araneids and mites were investigated at monthly intervals from January 2007 to January 2009. The results show that: ① total species richness and diversity indices were markedly greater in intercropped plantations compared to the control plantation, and the abundance of natural enemies of plant pests and the ratio of beneficial to harmful organisms was slightly larger. ② the effect of intercropping on total abundance was not obvious. We conclude that intercropping increases insect diversity in tea plantations to some extent.