Forest disturbance and arthropods: small‐scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropods

Abstract Dispersal of ground‐dwelling arthropods is understudied in forest ecosystems, which hinders understanding of effects of disturbances on population dynamics. The objective of the study was to quantify movement of ground‐dwelling arthropods in response to a factorial combination of canopy gap...

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Main Authors: Kayla I. Perry, Frances S. Sivakoff, Kimberly F. Wallin, John W. Wenzel, Daniel A. Herms
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-11-01
Series:Ecosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3771
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author Kayla I. Perry
Frances S. Sivakoff
Kimberly F. Wallin
John W. Wenzel
Daniel A. Herms
author_facet Kayla I. Perry
Frances S. Sivakoff
Kimberly F. Wallin
John W. Wenzel
Daniel A. Herms
author_sort Kayla I. Perry
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Dispersal of ground‐dwelling arthropods is understudied in forest ecosystems, which hinders understanding of effects of disturbances on population dynamics. The objective of the study was to quantify movement of ground‐dwelling arthropods in response to a factorial combination of canopy gap formation via girdling and understory vegetation removal, which was shown in a companion study to alter arthropod abundance and species richness. Arthropod movement was quantified using a self‐mark–capture technique where arthropods were marked as they crossed three concentric bands of different colored fluorescent powders located 3, 8, and 15 m from the center of 30 × 30 m experimental quadrats. The number of colors found on an individual was considered representative of dispersal such that the more colors detected, the more an individual moved. The likelihood that arthropods were marked with fluorescent powder and the number of colors detected differed among taxonomic groups. Most taxa were marked with one color and a high proportion of those individuals were collected adjacent to the band in which they were marked, suggesting limited dispersal. Canopy gaps and understory vegetation removal influenced movement of three taxa of highly mobile arthropods: Parajulidae and Paradoxosomatidae (detritivores), and Opiliones (scavengers). Opiliones were less likely to be marked with fluorescent powder in canopy gaps than under closed canopy in July, but more likely to be marked in August. Paradoxosomatidae were less likely to be marked in canopy gaps than under closed canopy in August, but their movement was unaffected in July. Parajulidae were more likely to be marked with fluorescent powders when understory vegetation was removed in July and August. Limited dispersal of most other ground‐dwelling arthropods suggests that these more sessile taxa may experience decreased survival and reproduction if they are unable to cope with environmental change in response to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Understanding how disturbances mediate arthropod movement can inform biodiversity conservation strategies and sustainable forest management.
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spelling doaj.art-57e1ab3a13bc4cb5ba14de376db594432022-12-21T19:33:08ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252021-11-011211n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.3771Forest disturbance and arthropods: small‐scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropodsKayla I. Perry0Frances S. Sivakoff1Kimberly F. Wallin2John W. Wenzel3Daniel A. Herms4Department of Entomology The Ohio State University 1680 Madison Avenue Wooster Ohio 44691 USADepartment of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology The Ohio State University 1465 Mount Vernon Avenue Marion Ohio 43302 USARubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont Aiken Center Burlington Vermont 05405 USAPowdermill Nature Reserve Carnegie Museum of Natural History 1795 Route 381 Rector Pennsylvania 15677 USADepartment of Entomology The Ohio State University 1680 Madison Avenue Wooster Ohio 44691 USAAbstract Dispersal of ground‐dwelling arthropods is understudied in forest ecosystems, which hinders understanding of effects of disturbances on population dynamics. The objective of the study was to quantify movement of ground‐dwelling arthropods in response to a factorial combination of canopy gap formation via girdling and understory vegetation removal, which was shown in a companion study to alter arthropod abundance and species richness. Arthropod movement was quantified using a self‐mark–capture technique where arthropods were marked as they crossed three concentric bands of different colored fluorescent powders located 3, 8, and 15 m from the center of 30 × 30 m experimental quadrats. The number of colors found on an individual was considered representative of dispersal such that the more colors detected, the more an individual moved. The likelihood that arthropods were marked with fluorescent powder and the number of colors detected differed among taxonomic groups. Most taxa were marked with one color and a high proportion of those individuals were collected adjacent to the band in which they were marked, suggesting limited dispersal. Canopy gaps and understory vegetation removal influenced movement of three taxa of highly mobile arthropods: Parajulidae and Paradoxosomatidae (detritivores), and Opiliones (scavengers). Opiliones were less likely to be marked with fluorescent powder in canopy gaps than under closed canopy in July, but more likely to be marked in August. Paradoxosomatidae were less likely to be marked in canopy gaps than under closed canopy in August, but their movement was unaffected in July. Parajulidae were more likely to be marked with fluorescent powders when understory vegetation was removed in July and August. Limited dispersal of most other ground‐dwelling arthropods suggests that these more sessile taxa may experience decreased survival and reproduction if they are unable to cope with environmental change in response to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Understanding how disturbances mediate arthropod movement can inform biodiversity conservation strategies and sustainable forest management.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3771dispersaldisturbanceground‐dwellinginsectsinvertebratesmark–capture
spellingShingle Kayla I. Perry
Frances S. Sivakoff
Kimberly F. Wallin
John W. Wenzel
Daniel A. Herms
Forest disturbance and arthropods: small‐scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropods
Ecosphere
dispersal
disturbance
ground‐dwelling
insects
invertebrates
mark–capture
title Forest disturbance and arthropods: small‐scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropods
title_full Forest disturbance and arthropods: small‐scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropods
title_fullStr Forest disturbance and arthropods: small‐scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropods
title_full_unstemmed Forest disturbance and arthropods: small‐scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropods
title_short Forest disturbance and arthropods: small‐scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropods
title_sort forest disturbance and arthropods small scale canopy and understory disturbances alter movement of mobile arthropods
topic dispersal
disturbance
ground‐dwelling
insects
invertebrates
mark–capture
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3771
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