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Arthropods, especially insects, are the most diverse group of animals on earth and influence many ecosystem processes. Within the project Arthropods:
1) a long-term monitoring of insect and spider diversity is conducted in grasslands and forests;
2) ecosystem processes, e.g. herbivory, predation and parasitization are quantified;
3) and the role of deadwood insects in the decomposition of deadwood is analyzed as part of the BELongDead-experiment.
4) ecosystem processes like herbivory, predation, parasitisation  and pollination are quantified.

Picture: The photo shows a young female scientist walking across an unmown meadow wielding a landing net, with a row of trees in the background.
Landscaping in grassland

Arthropods are sampled in forests and grasslands during the whole vegetation period (March-October) as part of the long-term monitoring. Through this monitoring, we can quantify not only short-term but also long-term effects of land use on arthropod diversity in grasslands and forests. Additionally, important basic information is supplied for other projects. In addition to the long-term monitoring, the use of indicator species is tested and ecological information (traits) of the sampled species are collected to test the effect of land use on the community composition and to understand the underlying processes of land-use effects. In various collaborations with other projects, we analyze the phylogenetic diversity of arthropods, the effect of the surrounding landscape and of historic land use and develop a BarCoding approach for the rapid assessment of Diptera species.

Hypotheses

1)    Increasing land-use intensity leads to a decrease in diversity and overall abundance of arthropods in forests and grasslands.
2)    The arthropod community composition changes with intensive land use, as species with certain characteristics become more abundant or rare.

Methods

Actively flying arthropods are sampled in forests with flight-interception traps within the understory and in the canopy of trees.

In grasslands, ground-living arthropods and species which are found in the vegetation layer are caught by  monthly sweep-net sampling


We evaluate the impact of land use on the ecosystem processes herbivory, predation and parasitization. We test experimentally, if an increase in diversity within extensively used systems reduces herbivory on leaves and if the herbivore populations are controlled effectively. In forests, herbivory is quantified within the rejuvenation and on sun-exposed crowns of beech, which is the dominant tree species within the exploratories. In grasslands, herbivory is quantified for the community as well as for selected plant species. Through the joined analysis of data from the long-term monitoring and the ecosystem process assessment, we are able to detect relationships between land use, arthropod communities and connected processes.

Hypotheses

1)    Changes in arthropod community composition affect ecosystem processes (e.g. herbivory) and the diversity of other taxa. The diversity and abundance of natural enemies of arthropod herbivores is higher in natural forests as well as under extensive land use in grasslands compared to managed forests or intensively used grasslands.
2)    Parasitization rates and predation is higher in natural forests as well as under extensive land use in grasslands.
3)    Herbivore abundance is lower in natural forests as well as under extensive land use in grasslands, due to the stronger control by natural enemies.
4)    Hence, damage caused by herbivores is lower in natural forests as well as under extensive land use in grasslands.

Methods

Herbivory is quantified for different damage types, such as galls, mines, sucking-, scraping- and chewing damage. Predation is quantified through a three-day exposure of mealworms and artificial caterpillars made from modeling clay and a following determination of predation traces. Parasitization is evaluated through emergence traps on selected species, e.g. on the bark beetle species Trypodendron domesticum and on the beech leaf mining beetle Rhynchaenius fagi. Pollination is recorded by bumblebee footprints on Lotus corniculatus.


Within the BELongDead experiment deadwood logs (length 4m, diameter ca. 30cm) of 13 tree species were exposed on a total of 30 plots. Since 2010, the emerging insects from those logs are caught with closed emergence traps. This allows us to analyze the role of forest management and tree species on the colonization by deadwood insects. Additionally, we evaluate the role of deadwood insects in the decomposition of the logs in collaboration with other projects.

Hypotheses

1)    The community of deadwood insects differs in its diversity and composition between logs of different tree species.
2)    The diversity of the deadwood insect community is higher on native tree species compared to ‘exotic’ tree species.
3)    The diversity of the deadwood insect community is higher in natural forests compared to managed forests.
4)    The composition of the deadwood insect community changes during the course of the deadwood decomposition process.
5)    Abundance and diversity of deadwood insects influence the decomposition rate positively.

Methods

One emergence trap (half round metal arch with dark cloth attached to its sides, see picture B) was installed on one log per tree species in 2010. The emergence traps are equipped with transparent sampling jars, in which the freshly emerged deadwood insects are caught. At the end of each year, the emergence traps are moved by 30cm on the log to enable new colonization at the old position of the emergence trap.

Picture: The collage shows 6 photos of project work on insect monitoring. Photo 1 shows a young scientist in the forest aiming a crossbow upwards to install a cross window trap in the canopy. Photo 2 shows an emergence eclector to record deadwood insects. Photo 3 shows a summer meadow where a young female scientist is catching insects with a landing net while being filmed or photographed by a young man. Photo 4 shows a female scientist in the forest handling a cross window trap hanging from above. Photo 5 shows two young scientists together with tools in the forest preparing to empty the trap. Photo 6 shows a young female scientist and a young male scientist at the open tailgate of a box truck documenting and handling collection containers after emptying a cross window trap.
A: Installation of a cross-window trap in the canopy, B: Emergence selector for recording deadwood insects, C: Documentation of the landing net catch in the grassland for a film about the exploratories, D: Logging of the sampling, E: Preparation for trap emptying in the forest, F: Emptying of a cross-window trap

Doc
Staab M., Gossner M. M., Simons N. K., Achury R., Ambarlı D., Bae S., Schall P., Weisser W. W., Blüthgen N. (2023): Insect decline in forests depends on species’ traits and may be mitigated by management. Communications Biology 6: 338. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-04690-9
More information:  doi.org
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Achury R., Staab M., Blüthgen N., Weisser W. W. (2023): Forest gaps increase true bug diversity by recruiting open land species. Oecologia 202, 299–312. doi: 10.1007/s00442-023-05392-z
More information:  doi.org
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Einflussfaktoren der Artenzusammensetzung von Totholzkäfergemeinschaften ändern sich während der Sukzession
Seibold S., Weisser W. W., Ambarlı D., Gossner M. M., Mori A., Cadotte M. W., Hagge J., Bässler C., Thorn S. (2023): Drivers of community assembly change during succession in wood-decomposing beetle communities. Journal of Animal Ecology 92 (5), 965-978. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.13843
More information:  doi.org
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Weisser W. W., Blüthgen N., Staab M., Achury R., Müller J. (2023): Experiments are needed to quantify the main causes of insect decline. Biology Letters 19 (2): 20220500. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0500
More information:  doi.org
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Kaum Einfluss von Landnutzung auf intraspezifische morphologische Variabilität
Wehner K., Brandt M., Hilpert A., Simons N. K., Blüthgen N. (2023): Little evidence for land-use filters on intraspecific trait variation in three arthropod groups. Web Ecology 23 (1), 35–49. doi: 10.5194/we-23-35-2023
More information:  doi.org
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Der Rückgang von Insekten in deutschen Wäldern – neue Ergebnisse aus den Biodiversitäts-Exploratorien
Staab M. (2023): Der Rückgang von Insekten in deutschen Wäldern – neue Ergebnisse aus den Biodiversitäts-Exploratorien. Beiträge zur Jagd- und Wildforschung 48: 281–297.
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Blüthgen N., Staab M., Achury R., Weisser W. W. (2022): Unravelling insect declines: can space replace time? Biology Letters 18: 20210666. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0666
More information:  doi.org
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Staab M., Achury R., Ammer C., Ehbrecht M., Irmscher V., Mohr H., Schall P., Weisser W. W., Blüthgen N. (2022): Negative effects of forest gaps on dung removal in a full-factorial experiment. Journal of Animal Ecology 91 (10), 2113-2124. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.13792
More information:  doi.org
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Insektenherbivorie begünstigt die Etablierung eines invasiven Pflanzenpathogens
Gossner M. M., Beenken L., Arend K., Begerow D., Peršoh D. (2021): Insect herbivory facilitates the establishment of an invasive plant pathogen. ISME Communications 1: 6. doi:10.1038/s43705-021-00004-4
More information:  doi.org
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Ambarlı D., Simons N. K., Wehner K., Kämper W., Gossner M. M., Nauss T., Neff F., Seibold S., Weisser W. W., Blüthgen N. (2021): Animal-Mediated Ecosystem Process Rates in Forests and Grasslands are Affected by Climatic Conditions and Land-Use Intensity. Ecosystems 24, 467–483. doi: 10.1007/s10021-020-00530-7
More information:  link.springer.com
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Bae S., Heidrich L., Levick S. R., Gossner M. M., Seibold S., Weisser W. W., Magdon P., Serebryanyk A., Bässler C., Schäfer D., Schulze E.-D., Doerfler I., Müller J., Jung K., Heurich M., Fischer M., Roth N., Schall P., Boch S., Wöllauer S., Renner S. C., Müller J. (2021): Dispersal ability, trophic position and body size mediate species turnover processes: Insights from a multi‐taxa and multi‐scale approach. Diversity and Distributions 27 (3), 439-453. doi: 10.1111/ddi.13204
More information:  doi.org
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Forstinventuren zeigen wie multifunktional wirtschaftlich genutzte Wälder sind
Simons N. K., Felipe-Lucia M. R., Schall P., Ammer C., Bauhus J., Blüthgen N., Boch S., Buscot F., Fischer M., Goldmann K., Gossner M. M., Hänsel F., Jung K., Manning P., Nauss T., Oelmann Y., Pena R., Polle A., Renner S. C., Schloter M., Schöning I., Schulze E.-D., Solly E., Sorkau E., Stempfhuber B., Wubet T., Müller J., Seibold S., Weisser W. W. (2021): National Forest Inventories capture the multifunctionality of managed forests in Germany. Forest Ecosystems 8, 5. doi: 10.1186/s40663-021-00280-5
More information:  doi.org
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Wehner K., Renker C., Simons N. K., Weisser W. W., Blüthgen N. (2021): Narrow environmental niches predict land-use responses and vulnerability of land snail assemblages. BMC Ecology and Evolution 21:15. doi: 10.1186/s12862-020-01741-1
More information:  doi.org
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Wehner K., Schuster R., Simons N., Norton R. A., Blüthgen N., Heethoff M. (2021): How land-use intensity affects sexual and parthenogenetic oribatid mites in temperate forests and grasslands in Germany. Experimental and Applied Acarology 83, 343–373. doi: 10.1007/s10493-020-00586-z
More information:  doi.org
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Kann die Multitaxa-Biodiversität in europäischen Buchenwaldlandschaften durch die Kombination verschiedener Managementsysteme erhöht werden?
Schall P., Heinrichs S., Ammer C., Ayasse M., Boch S., Buscot F., Fischer M., Goldmann K., Overmann J., Schulze E.-D., Sikorski J., Weisser W. W., Wubet T., Gossner M. M. (2020): Can multi‐taxa diversity in European beech forest landscapes be increased by combining different management systems? Journal of Applied Ecology 57 (7), 1363-1375. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13635
More information:  doi.org
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Vielfältige Reaktionen von Biodiversität auf Heterogenität in Wäldern
Heidrich L., Bae S., Levick S., Seibold S., Weisser W. W., Krzystek P., Magdon P., Nauss T., Schall P., Serebryanyk A., Wöllauer S., Ammer C., Bässler C., Doerfler I., Fischer M., Gossner M. M., Heurich M., Hothorn T., Jung K., Kreft H., Schulze E.-D., Simons N., Thorn S., Müller J. (2020): Heterogeneity–diversity relationships differ between and within trophic levels in temperate forests. Nature Ecology & Evolution 4, 1204–1212. doi: 10.1038/s41559-020-1245-z
More information:  doi.org
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Influence of forestry on dung beetle diversity
Der Einfluss von Forstwirtschaft auf Dungkäferdiversität
Mohr H. (2020): Influence of forestry on dung beetle diversity. Bachelor thesis, TU Darmstadt
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Comparison of forests and grasslands by observing ecological process rates
Vergleich der Ökosysteme Wald und Grasland anhand ökologischer Prozessraten
Irmscher V. M. (2020): Vergleich der Ökosysteme Wald und Grasland anhand ökologischer Prozessraten. Bachelor thesis, TU Darmstadt
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Biodiversitätsschutz in Wäldern der gemäßigten Breiten Mitteleuropas: der Einfluss von Bewirtschaftungsintensität und Baumartenzusammensetzung
Leidinger J. (2020): Biodiversity conservation in temperate European forests: the roles of management intensity and tree species composition. Dissertation, Technische Universität München
More information:  mediatum.ub.tum.de
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Leidinger J., Seibold S., Weisser W. W., Lange M., Schall P., Türke M., Gossner M. M. (2019): Effects of forest management on herbivorous insects in temperate Europe. Forest Ecology and Management 437, 232-245. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2019.01.013
More information:  doi.org
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Meyer S. T., Heuss L., Feldhaar H., Weisser W. W., Gossner M. M. (2019): Land-use components, abundance of predatory arthropods, and vegetation height affect predation rates in grasslands. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 270–271, 84-92. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2018.10.015
More information:  doi.org
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Gossner M. M., Falck K., Weisser W. W. (2019): Effects of management on ambrosia beetles and their antagonists in European beech forests. Forest Ecology and Management 437, 126-133. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2019.01.034
More information:  doi.org
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Direkter und indirekter Einfluss von Landnutzung auf Schnecken-Gemeinschaften in Europa
Wehner K., Renker C., Brückner A., Simons N. K., Weisser W. W., Blüthgen N. (2019): Land‐use in Europe affects land snail assemblages directly and indirectly by modulating abiotic and biotic drivers. Ecosphere 10 (5), e02726. doi: 10.1002/ecs2.2726
More information:  doi.org
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Ursachen für Insektenrückgänge in Grünland und Wald sind auf Landschaftsebene zu finden
Seibold S., Gossner M., Simons N., Blüthgen N., Müller J., Ambarli D., Ammer C., Bauhus J., Fischer M., Habel J. C., Linsenmair, K.-E., Nauss T., Penone C., Prati D., Schall, P., Schulze, E.-D., Vogt, J., Wöllauer S., Weisser W. (2019): Arthropod decline in grasslands and forests is associated with landscape-level drivers. Nature 574, 671–674. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1684-3
More information:  doi.org
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Einfluss von Klimaparametern und der Landnutzung auf die Ökosystemdienstleistung des Dungabbaus und dessen Variabilität
Schneider J. (2018): Einfluss von Klimaparametern und der Landnutzung auf die Ökosystemdienstleistung des Dungabbaus und dessen Variabilität. Bachelorarbeit, TU Darmstadt
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Bedeutung natürlicher Waldentwicklung für die Biodiversität
Seibold S. (2018): Bedeutung natürlicher Waldentwicklung für die Biodiversität. Allgemeine Forst Zeitschrift/Der Wald 20, 12-13
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Kontrastierende Effekte verschiedener Landnutzungsarten im Grassland auf die Arten-Abundanz-Verteilung mehrerer Gruppen
Simons N., Lewinsohn T., Blüthgen N., Buscot F., Boch S., Daniel R., Gossner M.M., Jung K., Kaiser K., Müller J., Prati D., Renner S., Socher S., Sonnemann I., Weiner C., Werner M., Wubet T., Wurst S., Weisser W. W (2017): Contrasting effects of grassland management modes on species-abundance distributions of multiple groups. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 237, 143–153. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2016.12.022
More information:  doi.org
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Eine Intensivierung der Landwirtschaft in von Grassland dominierten Landschaften ohne Verlust von Artenvielfalt ist möglich
Simons N., Weisser W. W. (2017): Agricultural intensification without biodiversity loss is possible in grassland landscapes. Nature Ecology & Evolution 1, 1136–1145. doi: 10.1038/s41559-017-0227-2
More information:  doi.org
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Evaluierung einer integrativen Wald-Naturschutzstrategie: Kann man Totholz anreichern und fördert dies die Biodiversität?
Dörfler I. (2017): Evaluation of an integrative strategy in forests: does deadwood enrichment work and increase biodiversity? Dissertation, TU München
More information:  mediatum.ub.tum.de
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Gossner M. M., Lewinsohn T., Kahl T., Grassein F., Boch S., Prati D., Birkhofer K., Renner S. C., Sikorski J., Wubet T., Arndt H., Baumgartner V., Blaser S., Blüthgen N., Börschig C., Buscot F., Diekötter T., Jorge L. R., Jung K., Keyel A. C., Klein A.-M., Klemmer S., Krauss J., Lange M., Müller J., Overmann J., Pašalić E., Penone C., Perović D. J., Purschke O., Schall P., Socher S. A., Sonnemann I., Tschapka M., Tscharntke T., Türke M., Venter P. C., Weiner C. N., Werner M., Wolters V., Wurst S., Westphal C., Fischer M., Weisser W. W., Allan E. (2016): Land-use intensification causes multitrophic homogenisation of grassland communities. Nature 540 (7632), 266–269. doi: 10.1038/nature20575
More information:  doi.org
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Gossner M. M., Wende B., Levick S., Schall P., Floren A., Linsenmair K. E., Steffan-Dewenter I., Schulze E.-D., Weisser W. W. (2016): Deadwood enrichment in European forests – Which tree species should be used to promote saproxylic beetle diversity? Biological Conservation 201, 92–102. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.06.032
More information:  doi.org
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Auf der Suche nach der optimalen Fangflüssigkeit: Variation in Invertebraten-Gemeinschaften, Proben- und DNA-Qualität
Gossner M. M., Struwe J.-F., Sturm S., Max S., McCutcheon M., Weisser W. W., Zytynska S. E. (2016): Searching for the Optimal Sampling Solution: Variation in Invertebrate Communities, Sample Condition and DNA Quality. PLoS ONE 11(2): e0148247. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148247
More information:  doi.org
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Predation along a land-use gradient in German grasslands
Geisthardt M. (2015): Predation along a land-use gradient in German grasslands. Master thesis, TU München
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Predation along a land-use gradient in German forests
Kirchberger J. (2015): Predation along a land-use gradient in German forests. Master thesis, TU München
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Wiesner K. R., Habel J. C., Gossner M. M., Loxdale H. D., Köhler G., Schneider A. R. R., Tiedemann R., Weisser W. W. (2014): Effects of habitat structure and land-use intensity on the genetic structure of the grasshopper species Chorthippus parallelus. The Royal Society Open Science. 1: 140133. doi: 10.1098/rsos.140133
More information:  doi.org

The so-called core projects of the BE emerged from the site selection project and the establishment of the exploratories (2006-2008). Since 2008, they have been providing the infrastructure and collecting important basic information on land use, diversity and ecosystem processes (long-term monitoring) for all projects. In addition, they coordinate project-wide activities such as various large-scale experiments.

Project in other funding periods

Picture: The photo shows a close-up of a longhorn beetle.
Invertebrates I (Core project)
#Animals  #2008 – 2011  #2006 – 2008  #Species biodiversity […]
Picture: The photo shows a close-up of a longhorn beetle.
Arthropods I (Core project)
#Animals  #2011 – 2014  #Species biodiversity […]
Picture: The photo shows a close-up of a longhorn beetle.
Arthropods (Core project)
#Animals  #2020 – 2023  #Species biodiversity […]

Scientific assistants

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weisser
Project manager
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weisser
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Prof. Dr. Nico Blüthgen
Project manager
Prof. Dr. Nico Blüthgen
Technische Universität Darmstadt
Dr. Michael Staab
Employee
Dr. Michael Staab
Technische Universität Darmstadt
Dr. Rafael Achury
Employee
Dr. Rafael Achury
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Dr. Didem Ambarli
Alumni
Dr. Didem Ambarli
Dr. Christian Hof
Alumni
Dr. Christian Hof
Dr. Katja Wehner
Employee
Dr. Katja Wehner
Technische Universität Darmstadt
PD Dr. Sebastian Meyer
Employee
PD Dr. Sebastian Meyer
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Prof. Dr. Nadja Simons
Employee
Prof. Dr. Nadja Simons
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Pascal Edelmann
Employee
Pascal Edelmann
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Laura Argens
Employee
Laura Argens
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Sven Rubanschi
Employee
Sven Rubanschi
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Petra Freynhagen
Employee
Petra Freynhagen
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Julia Füchtenschnieder
Alumni
Julia Füchtenschnieder
Kaspar Kremer
Alumni
Kaspar Kremer
Jan Leidinger
Alumni
Jan Leidinger
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