A comparison of sampling methods for some arthropod populations in cotton

Abstract

SAl\IPLING ANIMAL POPULATIONS in vari- ous ecosystems can be expensive and time-consuming, and in many studies the sampling method used may not ac- curately estimate densities and natural variability of the populations. The sam- pling methods used for insects in cotton have been particularly vulnerable to this criticism. For these reasons, this study was undertaken to: a) develop the whole-plant-bag sam- pling method (WPBS) to estimate ar- thropod populations in cotton as pre- cisely as possible, and b) compare WPBS with the more commonly used relative sampling meth- ods-D-vac and swecpnet. The WPBS method was then used to examine the dispersion of various spe- cies within the cotton field and among plants and to develop santpling decision rules. Summaries of the extensive data are available upon request." REVIEW