Data from: Agroecological transition increases arthropod diversity and decreases herbivore abundance on field margins

Field margin arthropods and vegetation data from peri-urban horticultural farms near Córdoba city (31.30- 31.50ºS and 64- 64.20ºW), in central Argentina. At each site, arthropods were sampled on the field margins using a 1m long vertical beat-sheet. Field margin was considered as the non-crop area adjacent to the vegetable crops, with at least some presence of herbaceous vegetation and a width of approximately 1m. Random samples were collected on each of the four sides of the field. Each sample consisted of two adjacent sub-samples that were obtained by beating the vegetation against the sheet a fixed number of times (3), and then collected from its base with a modified hand vacuum. Afterwards, samples were taken to the laboratory and preserved in 70% ethanol for further processing. Collected arthropods were classified into different orders and families using dichotomous keys. Adults were classified into morphospecies (further referred to simply as ‘species’). Specimens were identified at the family level, assigned to feeding guilds according to the dominant family habits, and for families with multiple feeding habits, they were identified at the subfamily level. On this basis, herbivores and natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) were considered for further analysis. For each sample, richness and abundance were determined by guild and taxonomic order, and biodiversity was estimated using the Shannon-Wiener index. Immature insects were considered only in terms of their abundance. For vegetation sampling, five 1x1 m quadrats were placed along each field margin with a minimum distance of 20m. Within each quadrat, maximum vegetation height was measured, and vertical photographs were taken and later processed in the software ImageJ to determine plant cover percentage. Alongside the quadrats, 6x1m transects were placed and used to determine floral resource abundance. All plant species in both squares and transects were accounted to determine total vegetation species richness. Due to logistic impediments and to avoid the noise of seasonal variation, these measurements were done once, between arthropod sampling dates, and in 7 out of the 10 fields.

阿根廷中部科尔多瓦市（南纬31.30°-31.50°，西经64°-64.20°）近郊园艺农场的田边节肢动物与植被数据集。在每个采样点，采用1米长垂直拍打板（beat-sheet）采集田边节肢动物。田边定义为毗邻蔬菜作物的非耕作区域，至少分布草本植被，宽度约1米。在农田的四个侧边各采集随机样本，每个样本包含两组相邻子样本：将植被向拍打板拍打固定次数（3次）后，使用改良手持式吸尘器从板底收集样本。后续将样本带回实验室，保存在70%乙醇中以待后续处理。采集到的节肢动物采用二歧分类检索表（dichotomous keys）鉴定至不同目和科。成虫按形态种（morphospecies）分类（后续简称为“物种”）。标本首先鉴定至科级分类单元，依据类群的主导习性划分取食功能群；对于具有多种取食习性的科，则进一步鉴定至亚科水平。基于上述分类，选取植食性节肢动物与天敌（捕食者和寄生者）开展后续分析。针对每个样本，按功能群和分类目分别统计物种丰富度与个体丰度，并采用香农-威纳指数（Shannon-Wiener index）估算生物多样性。未成熟昆虫仅统计其个体丰度。植被采样环节：沿每条田边设置5个1×1米的样方，样方间最小间距为20米。在每个样方内测量植被最大高度，拍摄垂直照片，后续通过ImageJ软件处理以计算植被盖度百分比。沿样方布设6条1米样带，用于测定花资源丰度。统计所有样方和样带内的植物物种，以计算总植被物种丰富度。由于后勤限制及规避季节变化带来的干扰，所有采样仅开展一次，在节肢动物采样时段内完成，且仅覆盖10个农田中的7个。