Arthropod assemblages in invasive and native vegetation in Great Salt Lake wetlands dataset

This data was collected as part of a multiyear study examining how arthropod assemblages differ between native and invasive vegetation in Great Salt Lake wetlands in Utah, U.S.A. Great Salt Lake wetlands provide continentally significant habitat for shorebirds, songbirds, and waterfowl. Invasive species, such as the grass species <i>Phragmites australis </i>(common reed)<i>, </i> have the potential to disrupt trophic interactions within these wetlands by altering the arthropod assemblages on which bird populations rely. However, there are few quantitative data that describe differences in arthropod assemblages between invasive and native wetland plants. <br>In our study, we examined the arthropod assemblages found within three native wetland habitats as well as in <i>Phragmites </i>stands. We used two different arthropod trap types, emergence and windowpane traps, to collect arthropods from each habitat. From these collections, we identified each individual based on their family (genus when possible) and counted, dried, and weighed the specimens. This dataset describes the total weight of dried arthropod biomass from each trap sample and individual counts for all arthropod families identified in each sample. In addition, we measured vegetation biomass, litter depth, and water depth within each habitat type. These specific site conditions for each habitat type are described in this dataset as well. <br>Identifying how arthropods interact with both <i>Phragmites australis </i>and native vegetation is critical to recognizing how to manage wetlands for migratory and resident bird habitat. By gaining a better understanding of these relationships, arthropod biomass, abundance, diversity, and assemblage composition may serve as potential assessment metrics for determining management success in wetlands.