Ground-dwelling arthropods of pinyon-juniper woodlands: Arthropod community patterns are driven by climate and overall plant productivity, not host tree species

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238219
• Publication Date: 2020-08-26T17:34:01Z
• Authors: Derek Andrew Uhey; Hannah Lee Riskas; Aaron Dennis Smith; Richard William H...
• Keywords: Arthropod

Pinyon-juniper (PJ) woodlands have drastically changed over the last century with juniper encroaching into adjacent habitats and pinyon experiencing large-scale mortality events from drought. Changes in climate forest composition may pose challenges for animal communities found PJ woodlands, especially if animals specialize on tree species sensitive to Here we test habitat specialization of ground-dwelling arthropod (GDA) underneath trees. We also investigate role productivity gradients structuring GDAs within using two elevational gradients. sampled 12,365 individuals comprising 115 taxa years. no evidence that differ under or trees, save a single beetle which preferred junipers. Climate productivity, however, were strongly associated GDA appeared drive differences between sites. Precipitation was richness, while environmental variables (precipitation, temperature, vapor pressure, normalized difference vegetation index). These relationships varied among different (e.g. ants beetles) community metrics abundance, composition), individual responding differently. Overall, our results suggest are not dependent type, but linked primary climate, precipitation woodlands. This implies more susceptible changes at lower elevations where it is hot dry, than dominant vegetation. discuss management implications compare findings other systems.