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

Abstract

Arthropods comprise the majority of terrestrial biodiversity and play key roles in ecosystem functioning. Biodiverse grasslands support many arthropods, yet such ecosystems have declined due to land conversion and management changes. While restoration aims to conserve species-rich grasslands, long-term effects of plant richness on arthropod communities and associated functions remain underexplored. We addressed this gap by quantifying arthropods, herbivory, and predation over 13 years (2010-2022) across 80 grassland plots with varying plant richness. We examined (1) temporal trends in arthropod communities, herbivory and predation and whether changes depended on plant richness, (2) whether plant richness effects varied or strengthened over time, and (3) whether arthropod changes affected associated functions. Arthropod metrics declined over time across all plant richness levels, with average losses mainly being more pronounced in species-poor mixtures. Plant richness consistently had a positive effect on arthropods and their functions, although this effect varied between years without a consistent temporal trend. Notably, temporal changes in arthropod community metrics did not predict shifts in associated functions. Our findings highlight the dynamic interplay between plant richness and arthropods. From a conservation perspective, we can conclude that diversification in grasslands- the increase in plant diversity- directly supports arthropods and associated functions. Additionally, first trends indicate that the maintenance and protection of diverse semi-natural grasslands over a long period might mitigate the arthropod loss driven by environmental changes. In other words, diverse grasslands may buffer against the ongoing arthropod loss, though this effect may take years to become apparent. This again emphasizes the long-term nature of conservation efforts.