Effects of light pruning on arthropod population and community diversity in tea plantations

In the winter,light pruning was found to reduce arthropods,which included spiders,larvae of Ectropis oblique hypulina Wehrli,Empoasca vitis Gothe,parasitoids and larvae of Homana coffearia Nietner,etc.All the abovementioned arthropods,except parasitoids,decreased in number significantly or very significantly when the cut tea branches were cleaned after pruning.In the summer,Empoasca vitis Gothe population decreased significantly after light pruning with clearing of the cut branches.Populations of spiders decreased significantly after light pruning even without clearing.On the other hand,the number of Myllocerinus aurolineatus Voss increased after light pruning.When the pruned branches were not cleared,the increase was obvious,but not significant.Populations of collembolans and arthropods both reached a higher,but not significant,level after light pruning.Their numbers decreased very significantly if the cut branches were removed.