Arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi-natural habitats.
Nitrogen (N) deposition is known to strongly modify biogeochemical cycles and trophic interactions, in turn altering ecosystem functioning and plant diversity around the globe. However, our understanding of N deposition effects on arthropod diversity remains limited. Here, we investigate how N depos...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-07-01
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| Series: | PLoS Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003285 |
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| author | Shunxiang Fan Tim Newbold Jan C Axmacher Charlotte L Outhwaite Yi Zou Zhenrong Yu Yunhui Liu |
| author_facet | Shunxiang Fan Tim Newbold Jan C Axmacher Charlotte L Outhwaite Yi Zou Zhenrong Yu Yunhui Liu |
| author_sort | Shunxiang Fan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nitrogen (N) deposition is known to strongly modify biogeochemical cycles and trophic interactions, in turn altering ecosystem functioning and plant diversity around the globe. However, our understanding of N deposition effects on arthropod diversity remains limited. Here, we investigate how N deposition impacts the diversity of arthropods by combining biodiversity data from the PREDICTS database with data on global N deposition and land cover using mixed-effects models. We then explore the potential for semi-natural and natural habitats ('SNH') to buffer against potential N deposition-linked biodiversity losses. N deposition has a negative effect on arthropod biodiversity. Both, species richness and abundance are significantly reduced in areas of high levels of N deposition when compared to areas of low N deposition, with responses varying across different land-use types. The strongest negative effects of N deposition on arthropod diversity were observed in locations where the local land use entails the least anthropogenic modification. At the same time, with the exception of cropland-dominated landscapes, increases in the amount of SNH in the surrounding landscape reduced arthropod biodiversity losses associated with N deposition. We conclude that SNH can play an important role in mitigating the negative effects of N deposition on arthropod diversity, with the conservation and creation of these habitats promoting arthropod diversity even under high levels of N deposition. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-020503bd99bb4160a9fcab39e45e3b34 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1544-9173 1545-7885 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-020503bd99bb4160a9fcab39e45e3b342025-08-20T03:32:07ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Biology1544-91731545-78852025-07-01237e300328510.1371/journal.pbio.3003285Arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi-natural habitats.Shunxiang FanTim NewboldJan C AxmacherCharlotte L OuthwaiteYi ZouZhenrong YuYunhui LiuNitrogen (N) deposition is known to strongly modify biogeochemical cycles and trophic interactions, in turn altering ecosystem functioning and plant diversity around the globe. However, our understanding of N deposition effects on arthropod diversity remains limited. Here, we investigate how N deposition impacts the diversity of arthropods by combining biodiversity data from the PREDICTS database with data on global N deposition and land cover using mixed-effects models. We then explore the potential for semi-natural and natural habitats ('SNH') to buffer against potential N deposition-linked biodiversity losses. N deposition has a negative effect on arthropod biodiversity. Both, species richness and abundance are significantly reduced in areas of high levels of N deposition when compared to areas of low N deposition, with responses varying across different land-use types. The strongest negative effects of N deposition on arthropod diversity were observed in locations where the local land use entails the least anthropogenic modification. At the same time, with the exception of cropland-dominated landscapes, increases in the amount of SNH in the surrounding landscape reduced arthropod biodiversity losses associated with N deposition. We conclude that SNH can play an important role in mitigating the negative effects of N deposition on arthropod diversity, with the conservation and creation of these habitats promoting arthropod diversity even under high levels of N deposition.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003285 |
| spellingShingle | Shunxiang Fan Tim Newbold Jan C Axmacher Charlotte L Outhwaite Yi Zou Zhenrong Yu Yunhui Liu Arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi-natural habitats. PLoS Biology |
| title | Arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi-natural habitats. |
| title_full | Arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi-natural habitats. |
| title_fullStr | Arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi-natural habitats. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi-natural habitats. |
| title_short | Arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi-natural habitats. |
| title_sort | arthropod biodiversity loss from nitrogen deposition is buffered by natural and semi natural habitats |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003285 |
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