Vegetation Pattern Modulates Ground Arthropod Diversity in Semi-Arid Mediterranean Steppes.

ABSTRACT: The ecological functioning of dryland ecosystems is closely related to the spatial pattern of the vegetation, which is typically structured in patches. Ground arthropods mediate key soil functions and ecological processes, yet little is known about the influence of dryland vegetation pattern on their abundance and diversity. Here, we investigate how patch size and cover, and distance between patches relate to the abundance and diversity of meso-and microarthropods in semi-arid steppes. We found that species richness and abundance of ground arthropods exponentially increase with vegetation cover, patch size, and patch closeness. The communities under vegetation patches mainly respond to patch size, while the communities in the bare-soil interpatches are mostly controlled by the average dist

SUBMITTER: Meloni F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7023303 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature