"Assessment of the Taxonomic Composition of Soil Arthropods in Selected Locations in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria"

Abstract

Soil is one of the interfaces through which essential ecological processes take place. Therefore, this study was narrowed to determine the seasonal arthropod taxonomic composition in soils from some locations in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria between January and December 2015. Samples were collected from four selected dumpsites in the following locations: Wulari, Abaganaram, Bulunmkutu and Bolori using a stratified random sampling design. Arthropods were extracted from the soil and identified using standard identification keys. A total of 748 arthropods were extracted and identified. The order Acarina were significantly (P = 0.02885) most abundant during the wet season (25.7%) and dry season (22.1%) respectively. There was no significant difference (P = 0.3899) in the abundance of arthropods along gradient during the dry season. In this study, there was no significant difference (Wet Season: P = 0.05458; Dry Season: P = 0.5351) in QBS index of arthropods in both wet and dry season respectively. The findings presented in this study are anticipated to aid in establishing foundational data on the arthropod fauna within the Maiduguri metropolis. Crucially, this data will serve as a valuable tool for monitoring potential shifts in both the abundance and diversity of soildwelling arthropods in Maiduguri metropolis.