Habitat loss and simplification lower arthropod richness but not diversity

• DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4914
• Publication Date: 2024-06-25T02:59:40Z
• Authors: Erin V. Scott; Ryan Almeida; Sam McKlin; Alston Lee Lippert; Jake Clary; Carlos Vargas; Will Hidell; Susana Wadgymar; Kevin G. Smith
• Keywords: Arthropod

Abstract Habitat loss is rarely truly random and often occurs selectively with respect to the plant species comprising habitat. Such selective habitat removal that decreases diversity, is, simplification or homogenization, may have two negative effects on other species. First, reduction in community size (number of individuals) represents for at higher trophic levels who use plants as Second, when are removed selectively, resulting diversity resources available levels. It follows combined will reduce biodiversity more than without simplification. To test this, we experimentally implemented types level compared resident arthropods between types. In first type loss, reduced habitats by 50% nonselectively, maintaining original relative abundance therefore resource arthropods. second removing all but one common species, dramatically simplifying We replicated this experiment across three species: Asclepias tuberosa , Solidago altissima Baptisia alba . While arthropod richness simplification, neither affected measured effective number (ENS), evenness controls. Instead, differences ENS were explained identity Our results indicate quality remaining habitat, our case identity, be important multi‐trophic per se.