Forest fragments, primary and secondary forests harbour similar arthropod assemblages after 40 years of landscape regeneration in the Central Amazon

Abstract

Abstract Large‐scale deforestation leads to habitat loss and fragmentation with major consequences for biodiversity. However, the impacts of these environmental disturbances can be mitigated by forest regeneration. We evaluated the effects of forest fragmentation and vegetation recovery on arthropod assemblages in human‐modified landscapes in the Amazon. Arthropods were sampled in 10‐ha forest fragments, continuous primary forests, and secondary forests using Malaise traps. We identified arthropods in multiple taxonomic resolutions from order to species. We collected 25,230 arthropods belonging to 17 orders. Coleoptera and Hemiptera were more abundant in secondary forests compared to other habitats. A dipteran family (Clusiidae) and a horse fly species (Dichelacera cervicornis—Tabanidae) were identified as indicators of forest fragments and continuous forests, respectively. Similar levels of taxonomic diversity between habitats were documented. The taxonomic composition also was similar between studied habitats in all taxonomic resolutions. Although the studied landscapes suffered strong environmental disturbances four decades ago, the vegetation has been in continuous regeneration since then, favouring the dispersal of arthropods throughout habitats. Forest fragments and old secondary forests contribute to the maintenance of a rich and diverse arthropod assemblage in landscapes composed of large tracts of continuous primary forests.