Complementary Distribution Patterns of Arthropod Detritivores (Woodlice and Millipedes) Along Forest Edge‐To
Insect Conservation and Diversity (2016) 9, 456–469 doi: 10.1111/icad.12183 Complementary distribution patterns of arthropod detritivores (woodlice and millipedes) along forest edge-to-interior gradients PALLIETER DE SMEDT,1 KAREN WUYTS,2 LANDER BAETEN,1 AN DE SCHRIJVER,1 WILLEM PROESMANS,1 PIETER DE FRENNE,1 EVY AMPOORTER,1 ELYN REMY,1 MERLIJN GIJBELS,1 MARTIN HERMY,3 4 1 DRIES BONTE andKRISVERHEYEN 1Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Forest and Water management, Ghent University, Melle (Gontrode), Belgium, 2ENdEMIC Research Group, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, 3Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium and 4Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium Abstract. 1. Worldwide, forest fragmentation induces edge effects, thereby strongly altering the forest microclimate and abiotic characteristics in the forest edge compared to the forest interior. The impact of edge-to-interior gradients on abiotic parameters has been extensively studied, but we lack insights on how biodiversity, and soil communities in particular, are structured along these gra- dients. 2. Woodlice (Isopoda) and millipedes (Diplopoda) are dominant macro-detriti- vores in temperate forests with acidic sandy soils. 3. We investigated the distribution of these macro-detritivores along forest edge-to-interior gradients in six different forest stands with sandy soils in north- ern Belgium. 4. Woodlouse abundance decreased exponentially with distance from the for- est edge, whereas millipede abundance did not begin to decrease until 7 m inside the forest stands. Overall, these patterns were highly species specific and could be linked to the species’ desiccation tolerance.
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