Abstract
Intensification of agriculture has led to a decrease of biodiversity
in grasslands, leading also to lower epigeic invertebrate numbers in
those habitats. Because vegetation structure changes due to the
increasing number of cuttings and the high input of fertilizers,
ground-dwelling invertebrates decrease. Our study sites were located
in Barbian/Barbiano, South Tyrol (Italy) where we installed pitfall
traps in intensively as well as in extensively managed meadows. The
results show that there is a difference between the two agricultural
habitats in species composition and in the abundance of certain
groups.