What Bugs Are Crawling Around Your Schoolyard?

The Sonoran Desert has one of the most diverse native plant species and animal species of any desert in the world. Many arthropods (insects, spiders, scorpions) are adapted to living here and are part of food webs that include animals and plants also adapted to desert living.

Phoenix is an ever-expanding urban area within the Sonoran Desert. Scientists are studying the impact of this urbanization on arthropod communities.

How has urbanization affected the number and diversity of arthropod species?
Are there areas within urban Phoenix which attract more arthropods?

To answer these and other questions, CAP LTER scientists are investigating ground arthropod populations (number and diversity) at several different habitats:
1) desert remnant (inside the city)
2) desert outside city boundaries
3) industrial
4) xeric (dry) residential yards
5) mesic (heavily irrigated) residential yards
6) xeric/mesic combination residential yards
7) agricultural fields

Your research adds another habitat type: schoolyards (and/or a wider variety of backyards). Because not all schoolyards are the same, your schoolyard map will be REALLY important when you begin to analyze your data. The vegetation survey also will be important.