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April 14th, 2025
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University Jena
ecology
biorxiv

Plant diversity promotes aboveground arthropods and associated functions despite arthropod loss over time

Ebeling, A.Open in Google Scholar•Broecher, M.Open in Google Scholar•Hertzog, L.Open in Google Scholar•Schielzeth, H.Open in Google Scholar•Weisser, W. W.Open in Google Scholar•Meyer, S. T.Open in Google Scholar

Arthropods make up the vast majority of terrestrial biodiversity and play essential roles in ecosystem functioning. Biodiverse grasslands support large numbers of arthropods, yet such ecosystems have faced significant declines due to land conversion and changes in management. While restoration efforts aim to conserve species-rich grasslands, the long-term effects of plant species richness on arthropod communities and associated functions (e.g. herbivory and pest-control) remain underexplored. We addressed this knowledge gap by quantifying grassland arthropods, herbivory, and predation over 13 years (2010-2022) across 80 plots with varying plant species richness. We explored (1) how arthropod communities and associated functions have changed over the study period and if any change is affected by plant species richness, (2) if effects of plant species richness on arthropods vary or even strengthen over time, and (3) if changes in arthropod communities affect associated functions. Our findings reveal that, at all levels of plant species richness, arthropod community metrics declined over time, with average losses being mainly more pronounced in species-poor plant mixtures. Plant species richness consistently had a positive effect on arthropod communities and their functions. This positive plant species richness effect strongly varied between years, but showed no consistent change over time. Predators experienced greater annual losses compared to herbivores, but herbivore declines were more influenced by changing plant species richness. Notably, temporal changes in arthropod community metrics did not predict functional changes, as the effect of plant species richness on predation strengthened over time, whereas its effect on predator richness remained stable. Overall, our study highlights the complex and dynamic interactions between plant species richness and arthropod communities over time. Maintaining high plant diversity in semi-natural grasslands might mitigate arthropod loss over time, but this stabilizing effect may take years to fully establish, emphasizing the long-term nature of conservation efforts.

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