Response of Arthropods to the Anthropogenic Noise at Sandur, Ballari, Karnataka

Arthropod diversity and species richness in the Sandur taluk Ballari have been recorded. One hundred and ninety-two species of insects were identified, and about 80% of them were beneficial to the ecosystem as natural enemies of pests, pollinators, decomposers, and scavengers; they regulate the ecosystem functioning. The rich biodiversity suggests that the study area is of high biological value and that the species are endemic to the eastern plains of Karnataka. It is observed that the abundance of arthropods varied in different habitats based on the anthropogenic noise. It is observed that the abundance of the arthropods decreased, and although the cricket calling pattern remained the same in all the habitats, the external sound masked the cricket calls. The masking and overlapping effects of cricket and grasshopper calls may manifest in differential ecological impacts.