Vegetation attributes drive the taxonomic richness and functional composition of beetles and spiders in mountainous urban green spaces

• DOI: 10.1007/s40974-021-00236-z
• Publication Date: 2022-01-05T07:02:34Z
• Authors: Frederick Gyasi D...; Bernard Fosu Frim...; Daniel Kwame Debrah; Prince Pascal Agro; Edward Debrah Wiafe
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; Predation; 01 natural sciences; Agricultural and Biological Sciences; Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management; 11. Sustainability; Pathology; Biology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Ecosystem; Nature and Landscape Conservation; Global and Planetary Change; Global Analysis of Ecosystem Services and Land Use; Ecology; Geography; Life Sciences; Woodland; Biodiversity; 15. Life on land; Habitat; FOS: Biological sciences; Environmental Science; Physical Sciences; Herbivore; Land use; Medicine; Impact of Pollinator Decline on Ecosystems and Agriculture; Species Richness; Vegetation (pathology); Species richness

Abstract Urban green spaces (UGS) enhance the quality of life in urban environments and serve as habitat corridors or refuge for organisms, including beetles spiders. The attributes UGS allow them to harbour species that offer essential ecosystem services. However, ability provide services is limited by extent which they have been altered anthropogenically. We described taxonomic richness functional composition arthropods a mountainous Ghana focussing on activity both spiders at family level. Two main land-use types (woodlands built-up areas) were identified characterised based presence absence certain vegetation attributes. Sixteen plots each type with sizes 20 × m demarcated fitted four pitfall traps plot sample continuously eight weeks, density Samples sorted into families groups (detritivores, fungivores, herbivores predators). significantly higher woodlands than areas. Similarly, all showed affinity Habitat defined plant diversity structural complexity underlying drivers explaining differences arthropod communities between types. Though areas seem degraded open, remaining small patches still support activities some taxa should merit protection such remnant ecosystems.