Three-year survey of arthropods in soybean in north-central Indiana, USA, 2004-2006

We conducted a survey of multiple soybean fields in 2004-2006 to obtain population density estimates for arthropods in the canopy throughout the soybean growing season. The fields were located in north-central Indiana and were cultivated according to standard agronomic practices for the region. In 2004, 14 fields were selected along two transects, extending 70 km due north and 110 km northeast of the Purdue University campus (West Lafayette, Indiana; see TRANS_2004-2006_datefield.csv and TRANS_2004_plant.csv). In 2005, eight fields were selected along the northeast transect, up to 140 km from campus (see TRANS_2004-2006_datefield.csv, TRANS_2005_ESplant.csv, and TRANS_2005_LSplant.csv). In 2006, six fields were selected along the northeast transect (see TRANS_2004-2006_datefield.csv and TRANS_2006_plant.csv). In all of these "transect" fields, a rectangular plot (0.3 ha in 2004, 0.4 ha in 2005 and 0.2 ha in 2006) was selected at least 10 m from the field edge. In each year of the survey, one additional "large-sample" field was monitored using larger sample sizes than in transect fields (N = 10-20 plants in each transect field and N = 48-96 plants in each large-sample field). These large-sample plots were unmanipulated control plots used in various field experiments conducted each year at the Purdue University Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE) in Tippecanoe County, IN (see ACRE_2004-2006_field.csv, ACRE_2004-2006_dateplot.csv, and ACRE_2004-2006_plant.csv).