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Updated: Feb 3, 2026
05:28
Quantifying Corticolous Arthropods Using Sticky Traps
Published on: January 19, 2020
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Climate-driven declines in arthropod abundance restructure a rainforest food web
Bradford C Lister1, Andres Garcia2
1Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic University, Troy, NY 12180; listeb@rpi.edu.
Summary
Climate warming is causing significant declines in tropical arthropod populations, impacting forest food webs. This research highlights the urgent need to address rising temperatures to protect biodiversity.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Change Biology
- Tropical Biology
Background:
- Tropical arthropods are crucial to forest ecosystems, representing over two-thirds of terrestrial species.
- Existing research suggests tropical arthropods are highly vulnerable to climate warming.
- Limited data exists on tropical arthropod abundance and extinction rates, hindering impact assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze long-term trends in arthropod and insectivore abundance in Puerto Rico's Luquillo rainforest.
- To determine the impact of climate warming on tropical arthropod populations.
- To investigate the cascading effects on the forest food web.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of arthropod and insectivore abundance data from 1976-2012 in two midelevation habitats.
- Replication of historical sampling methods used by Lister in the 1970s.
- Statistical regression analysis of arthropod abundance against mean maximum temperatures.
Main Results:
- A significant decline in arthropod dry weight biomass (4-8 times in sweep samples, 30-60 times in sticky traps) was observed.
- Sustained declines in canopy arthropod and walking stick abundance over two decades were documented.
- Negative correlations between arthropod abundance and mean maximum temperatures were established, alongside parallel declines in insectivorous vertebrates.
Conclusions:
- Climate warming, not El Niño/Southern Oscillation, is the primary driver of reduced arthropod abundance in the Luquillo rainforest.
- Decreased arthropod populations are triggering a bottom-up trophic cascade, potentially leading to a forest food web collapse.
- These findings underscore the profound impact of climate change on tropical forest ecosystems and biodiversity.
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