Since its discovery in the United States (US) in 2002, Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, EAB) has been a major threat to Ash trees in urban and natural forests. During its rapid spread across the US, EAB has cost affected communities an average of 10.7 million dollars in treatments, removal, and tree replacements. In Montana, Ash trees make up a large proportion of urban forests, with some communities having up to 90% Ash in the stand prior to mitigation efforts. In urban forests, Ash trees provide aesthetic and recreational value to landscapes, while also providing overwintering habitats for essential arthropods, like lady beetles and cavity-dwelling bees. While some research has explored the ecological impacts of EAB invasions on natural ash stands, little is known about their effects on urban ash stands. This study aimed to quantify biodiversity and identify functional arthropod communities occupying urban ash stands. As a part of a monitoring effort for EAB in Montana, a bycatch sampling method was employed over 2 years in 4 Montana communities. Individuals were sorted, identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, incorporated into a matrix based on relative abundance and ecological role, and finally clustered by a KNN classification algorithm. The results strongly indicate that certain functional arthropod groups are closely associated with stand health. Further, it suggests that expanding our understanding of urban arthropod communities may provide insights for enhancing the identification and management of urban stands at high risk of biological invasion.
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