Leaf-Litter Arthropods in Restored Forests in the Colombian Andes: A Comparison Between Secondary Forest and Tree Plantations

Tree monocultures of native and exotic species are frequently used as tools to catalyze forest recovery throughout the tropics. Although plantations may rapidly develop a canopy cover, they need to be evaluated as habitat for other organisms. We compared samples of leaf‐litter arthropods from two elevations in restored forest in the Colombian Andes. At the upper elevation (2,430 m), we compared native Andean alder (Alnus acuminata) plantation and secondary forest, and at the lower elevation (1,900 m) exotic Chinese ash (Fraxinus chinensis) plantation and secondary forest. Samples were obtained in two periods, March–April and September 1995. Species richness and abundance of arthropods were highest in secondary forest at the lower elevation. There were no differences in richness between both plantations and high‐elevation forest. Arthropod richness and abundance increased in the second sampling period in both secondary forest types and the ash plantation but not in the alder plantation, reflecting population recovery after the dry season. Alder leaf litter apparently buffered seasonal variations in arthropod richness and abundance. Composition of morphospecies was different among forest types. Although arthropod richness was lower in ash plantations compared to secondary forest, plantations still provided habitat for these organisms. On the other hand, the alder plantation was not different from secondary forest at the same elevation. At our site, plantations are embedded in a forested landscape. Whether our results apply to different landscape configurations and at different spatial scales needs to be established. The use of plantations as a restoration tool depends on the objectives of the project and on local conditions of forest cover and soils.     

Responses of ground living arthropods to landscape contrast and context in a forest-grassland mosaic

Landscape context and contrast are major features of transformed landscapes. These concepts are largely described in terms of vegetation and land use, and are rarely used on how other biodiversity responds to these anthropogenic boundaries. South African grassland matrix is naturally dotted with indigenous forest patches which have recently been transformed with plantations of non-native species. We investigate how various arthropod groups (detritivores, predators, ants) respond to juxtaposition of pines, natural forests and grasslands. We assess landscape context effects between natural forests and pines by determining how species that commonly occur in the interiors of these habitats use the adjacent habitat, and how landscape contrast between natural forests and grassland affects these groups proportionately. We sampled arthropods using pitfall traps and active searches in transects running from natural forest interiors across the edge into the matrix interior (grassland or pines). Natural forests had higher predator and detritivore diversity, while grassland had greater ant diversity. Results highlighted the complementarity of natural forests and grassland for arthropod diversity. Higher beta-diversity was recorded across landscape contrast than landscape context. Pine and natural forest associated species overlapped into adjacent habitats indicating that pines are used by certain natural forest species. However, pines are not true natural forest extensions, with only some species being supported. Pines may be connecting naturally isolated arthropod populations, which could have important evolutionary consequences. Only through appreciation of a range of arthropod groups and their response to context and contrast across the whole landscape can we undertake meaningful biodiversity conservation.     

A spatial scale assessment of habitat effects on arthropod communities of an oceanic island

Most habitats in the Azores have undergone substantial land-use changes and anthropogenic disturbance during the last six centuries. In this study we assessed how the richness, abundance and composition of arthropod communities change with: (1) habitat type and (2) the surrounding land-use at different spatial scales. The research was conducted in Terceira Island, Azores. In eighty-one sites of four different habitat types (natural and exotic forests, semi-natural and intensively managed pastures), epigaeic arthropods were captured with pitfall traps and classified as endemic, native or introduced. The land-use surrounding each site was characterized within a radius ranging from 100 to 5000 m. Non-parametric tests were used to identify differences in species richness, abundance and composition between habitat types at different spatial scales. Endemic and native species were more abundant in natural forests, while introduced species were more abundant in intensively managed pastures. Natural forests and intensively managed pastures influenced arthropod species richness and composition at all spatial scales. Exotic forests and semi-natural pastures, however, influenced the composition of arthropod communities at larger scales, promoting the connectivity of endemic and native species populations. Local species richness, abundance and composition of arthropod communities are mostly determined by the presence of nearby natural forests and/or intensively managed pastures. However, semi-natural pastures and exotic forests seem to play an important role as corridors between natural forests for both endemic and native species. Furthermore, exotic forests may serve as a refuge for some native species.     

Non-native plantation forests as alternative habitat for native forest beetles in a heavily modified landscape

The once extensive native forests of New Zealand’s central North Island are heavily fragmented, and the scattered remnants are now surrounded by a matrix of exotic pastoral grasslands and Pinus radiata plantation forests. The importance of these exotic habitats for native biodiversity is poorly understood. This study examines the utilisation of exotic plantation forests by native beetles in a heavily modified landscape. The diversity of selected beetle taxa was compared at multiple distances across edge gradients between each of the six possible combinations of adjacent pastoral, plantation, clearfell and native forest land-use types. Estimated species richness (Michaelis–Menten) was greater in production habitats than native forest; however this was largely due to the absence of exotic species in native forest. Beetle relative abundance was highest in clearfell-harvested areas, mainly due to colonisation by open-habitat, disturbance-adapted species. More importantly, though, of all the non-native habitats sampled, beetle species composition in mature P. radiata was most similar to native forest. Understanding the influence of key environmental factors and stand level management is important for enhancing biodiversity values within the landscape. Native habitat proximity was the most significant environmental correlate of beetle community composition, highlighting the importance of retaining native remnants within plantation landscapes. The proportion of exotic beetles was consistently low in mature plantation stands, however it increased in pasture sites at increasing distances from native forest. These results suggest that exotic plantation forests may provide important alternative habitat for native forest beetles in landscapes with a low proportion of native forest cover.     

Convergence in Arthropod Assemblages with Various Restoration Approaches for Canadian Deciduous Forests

Silvicultural practices are traditionally aimed at increasing forest profits; however, recent approaches to forest conservation have broadened to include nature-based silviculture for regenerating forests. In southern Ontario (Canada), originally dominated by deciduous forests, conifer plantations were established on abandoned agricultural sites. Currently, there is an increasing interest to convert these conifer stands to a state that mimics the original deciduous forest. We investigated arthropod abundance, species richness of carabid beetles, and abundance of arthropod assemblages (trophic and prey groups) under five silvicultural treatments conducted to regenerate deciduous forests (the natural forest type) from the old conifer plantations. The treatments included: (1) uniform canopy removal; (2) uniform canopy removal and understory removal; (3) group canopy removal; (4) group canopy removal and understory removal; and (5) untreated control plots (relatively pure red pine). Insects were sampled annually using sweepnets and pitfall traps. Results revealed treatment effects on the abundance of Coleoptera, Heteroptera, herbivores, and small arthropods (<3 mm) caught in sweepnet samples, where plots subjected to group shelterwood removal and understory removal supported higher abundances than the control plots. There was no treatment effect on the abundance of other arthropod groups or on the species richness and abundance of carabid beetles. The silvicultural treatments used to encourage natural regeneration did not seem to affect arthropod food availability for insectivorous vertebrates. Thus, the type of silvicultural strategy used to convert pine plantations to a stage that mimics the natural deciduous forests had little overall impact on arthropods.     

Leaf litter arthropod responses to tropical forest restoration

Soil and litter arthropods represent a large proportion of tropical biodiversity and perform important ecosystem functions, but little is known about the efficacy of different tropical forest restoration strategies in facilitating their recovery in degraded habitats. We sampled arthropods in four 7‐ to 8‐year‐old restoration treatments and in nearby reference forests. Sampling was conducted during the wet and dry seasons using extractions from litter and pitfall samples. Restoration treatments were replicated in 50 × 50‐m plots in four former pasture sites in southern Costa Rica: plantation – trees planted throughout the plot; applied nucleation/islands – trees planted in patches of different sizes; and natural regeneration – no tree planting. Arthropod abundance, measures of richness and diversity, and a number of functional groups were greater in the island treatment than in natural regeneration or plantation treatments and, in many cases, were similar to reference forest. Litter and pitfall morphospecies and functional group composition in all three restoration treatments were significantly different than reference sites, but island and plantation treatments showed more recovery than natural regeneration. Abundance and functional group diversity showed a much greater degree of recovery than community composition. Synthesis and applications: The less resource‐intensive restoration strategy of planting tree islands was more effective than tree plantations in restoring arthropod abundance, richness, and functional diversity. None of the restoration strategies, however, resulted in similar community composition as reference forest after 8 years of recovery, highlighting the slow rate of recovery of arthropod communities after disturbance, and underscoring the importance of conservation of remnant forests in fragmented landscapes.     

Contrasting the distribution of butterflies and termites in plantations and tropical forests

In the tropics vast areas of natural forests are being converted into plantations. The magnitude of the resulting loss in arthropod biodiversity and associated ecosystem services represents a significant topic of research. In this study we contrasted the abundance, species richness and faunal turnover of butterflies, resident butterflies (i.e., whose host plants were ascertained to occur in the habitats studied) and termites between small (average 4.3 ha) 20+ year old exotic plantations (teak and Terminalia), native plantations (Cedro espino), and an old growth forest in Panama. We used Pollard walks and manual search to quantify the abundance or occurrence of butterflies and termites, respectively. In 2014 we observed 4610 butterflies representing 266 species and 108 termite encounters (out of 160 quadrats) representing 15 species. Butterflies were more abundant and diverse in plantations than in the forest, whereas this pattern was opposite for resident butterflies and termites. There was marked faunal turnover between plantations and forest. We conclude that (a) the magnitude of faunal changes between forest and plantations is less drastic for termites than for butterflies; (b) resident butterfly species are more impacted by the conversion of forest to plantations than all butterflies, including transient species; and (c) species richness does not necessarily decrease in the series forest > native > exotic plantations. Whereas there are advantages of studying more tractable taxa such as butterflies, the responses of such taxa can be highly unrepresentative of other invertebrate groups responsible for different ecological services.     

Bats of the Chilean temperate rainforest: patterns of landscape use in a mosaic of native forests,eucalyptus plantations and grasslands within a South American biodiversity hotspot

Forestry plantations represent about 4 % of the global land cover and demand for wood is steadily increasing worldwide. Impacts of forest plantations on biodiversity are controversial; forest plantations could positively influence biodiversity by producing a buffer zone between native forests and agriculture, while replacement of native forests with plantations could reduce biodiversity. Chile is one of the main producers of wood worldwide, and production is largely based on intensively managed monocultures of exotic tree species. Only a few studies have looked at the effects of forestry plantations on biodiversity in Chile, mainly focusing on pine plantations. The aim of this study was to characterize habitat use and richness of bats between native forests, eucalyptus plantations and grasslands in a biodiversity hotspot in southern Chile to determine how land use affects an important mammalian taxa. We found no difference in use or richness of bats in eucalyptus plantations versus native forests. Regional context within the larger Valdivian watershed (Andes, central valley, coastal range) had a stronger influence on bat activity and richness than land use type (native forest, plantation, grassland), with the Andean region being the most diverse and where most bat activity is concentrated. Our results suggest that the composition and structure of the surrounding landscape mosaic may be fundamental to determine the impacts of forestry and human land use on biodiversity.     

Effect of land-use on the earthworm assemblages in semi-deciduous forests of Central-West Ivory Coast

In this study, the impact of forest disturbance on earthworm assemblages was assessed using monoliths dug out at 5 m intervals along a gradient of land-use intensification. The land-use types comprised primary forest (as a baseline), secondary forest, tree plantation, fallow, perennial and annual crop. Forest disturbance resulted in a significant decrease in soil organic carbon and pH, while earthworm abundance and biomass increased along the gradient of disturbance. Surprisingly, anthropogenic disturbances in semi-deciduous forest areas have not led to the disappearance of native species to the benefit of exotic species as revealed in former studies. As a result, in this study land-use change had no impact on species richness at the landscape level, even if at local scales, recurrent Chromolaena odorata fallows, multispecies tree plantations and 4 year-old teak plantations hosted the highest average species richness. Multiple regression analyses performed between earthworm communities and environmental variables showed that soil organic carbon and pH are potential indicators of earthworm abundance change.     

Effects of landscape complexity and stand factors on arthropod communities in poplar forests

The arthropod communities are influenced by both local conditions and features of the surrounding landscape. Landscape complexity and stand factors may both influence arthropod communities in poplar forests, but the multiscale effects of these factors on poplar defoliators and natural enemies are still poorly understood. We collected poplar arthropods at 30 sampling sites within five forest landscapes in Xinjiang, China, and assessed whether landscape complexity and stand factors influence species abundance and diversity of poplar arthropods. Landscape complexity was quantified by several independent metrics of landscape composition, configuration, and connectivity at three spatial scales. We also determined the most powerful explanatory variables and the scale effect of each arthropod. Results found that landscape complexity and stand factors had different effects on different poplar arthropod communities. Landscape complexity promoted natural enemies at different spatial scales, but it inhibited the population of poplar defoliators at the scale of 200 m. Specifically, the abundance and diversity of all defoliators decreased with increasing proportion of nonhost plants. Landscape diversity only had a negative effect on defoliator abundance. The shape complexity of habitat patches increased the abundance of carabid beetles but reduced the abundance of green leafhoppers and migratory locusts. The abundance and diversity of predators increased with increasing structural connectivity of forest landscape. Additionally, both the abundance and diversity of all defoliators were positively correlated with the average height of herbaceous plants. Diversity of all defoliators increased with increasing size of host trees. The distance from sampling site to the nearest village positively influenced the abundance and diversity of all predators. Arthropod abundance and diversity in poplar forests were driven by stand factors and landscape complexity. Therefore, maintaining complex shape and structural connectivity of habitat patches and keeping poplar stands away from the village are crucial for management of forest landscape to enhance natural enemies. And in order to reduce the abundance of defoliators in poplar forest, the diversity of surrounding habitat types should be promoted within 200 m radii.     

Seasonal variation in diversity and abundance of understorey birds in Bunduki Forest Reserve,Tanzania: evaluating the conservation value of a plantation forest

Plantation forests generally support lower bird diversity than natural forests. However, in some instances the plantations have been found to provide suitable habitat for a number of bird species. In the Eastern Arc Mountains, there is limited knowledge how understorey birds, some of which make seasonal altitudinal movements, use plantations. Using mist netting we assessed seasonal use of the plantation forest by the understorey bird community in Bunduki Forest Reserve in the Uluguru Mountains. Species diversity and capture rates were significantly higher during the cold season than during the hot season possibly due to seasonal altitudinal migration by some species. The use of plantations by those species that make seasonal altitudinal movements shows that plantation forests can enhance indigenous biodiversity by enabling connectivity between two or more natural forest patches. Our findings suggest that in a situation where there is no natural forest, an exotic plantation with suitable indigenous understorey cover can help in protection of birds, including endemic and near-endemic species.     

Lichen diversity and composition in Araucaria forests and tree monocultures in southern Brazil

Tree plantations for commercial use have been replacing native ecosystems all over the world. We investigated how forest conversion to plantations of exotic and native tree species may influence lichen diversity and composition in a southern Brazilian landscape. The lichen community from the National Forest of São Francisco de Paula was studied using three stands of each of the four vegetation types: native Araucaria forest and plantations of Araucaria, Pine and Eucalyptus trees. All plantation stands were surrounded by native Araucaria forest, were of smaller size and were allowed to endure longer than commercially managed plantations. Lichen species and their cover abundance were recorded on tree trunks from 30 to 150 cm above soil level in ten host-trees that were randomly selected in each replication. Seventy-eight lichen species, from 18 genera and 9 families, were registered. Conversion of native forest to plantations of exotic tree species altered species composition by reducing the occurrence of shade tolerant lichens. Plantations of Araucaria angustifolia sustained the highest lichen diversity measured, because this is an excellent host species. These results suggest that a greater diversity of lichens can be preserved in the landscape, if plantations of the exotic Pinus and Eucalyptus genera are replaced by plantations of this native species.     

Effects on nutrient cycling of conifer restoration in a degraded tropical montane forest

Background and aims

Exotic coniferous species have been used widely in restoration efforts in tropical montane forests due to their tolerance to adverse conditions and rapid growth, with little consideration given to the potential ecological benefits provided by native tree species. The aim of this study was to elucidate differences in litterfall and nutrient flow between a montane oak forest (Quercus humboldtii Bonpl.) and exotic coniferous plantations of pine (Pinus patula Schltdl. & Cham.) and cypress (Cupressus lusitanica Mill.) in the Colombian Andes.

Methods

Litter production, litter decomposition rate, and element composition of leaf litter were monitored during 3 years.

Results

Litter production in the oak forest and pine plantation was similar, but considerably lower in the cypress plantation . Similar patterns were observed for nutrient concentrations in litterfall, with the exception of Ca which was three times higher in the cypress plantation. The annual decay rate of litter was faster in the montane oak forest than in either of the exotic coniferous plantations. The potential and net return of nutrients to the forest floor were significantly higher in oak forest than in the exotic coniferous plantations.

Conclusions

Future restoration programs should consider new species that can emulate the nutrient flow of native broadleaf species instead of exotic species that tend to impoverish soil nutrient stocks in tropical montane forests.     

Modelling land use changes for landscape connectivity: The role of plantation forestry and highways

Landscape connectivity is a key aspect for the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem viability. Nowadays, the competition between economic development and nature conservation is intense. In most territories natural vegetation is being replaced by exotic tree plantations, which have a better performance in terms of timber productivity but often, a lower ecological value. We evaluated potential natural forest connectivity improvement in the Cantabria region (Northern Spain) through two main actions: protection of environmentally valuable forest areas, and reforestation with indigenous species of those patches of exotic plantation trees with a particularly important role for the connectivity of the forest network. We established a variety of scenarios to calculate least cost paths, considering the presence or absence of plantation forestry and highways to examine connectivity. Then, we applied two habitat availability indices (integral index of connectivity and probability of connectivity) attending to different dispersal distances. Our analyses show a great potential for improving connectivity using plantation forests in the natural forest network, and a dramatic impact of the highway in the north–south connectivity of the study area. Based on these results, we identified those patches of plantation forest and natural forest that are more important for the maintenance of overall landscape connectivity, and propose their protection or conversion through reforestation. The final proposed network constitutes a larger and better connected natural forested landscape than the existing one.     

Habitat complementarity and butterfly traits are essential considerations when mitigating the effects of exotic plantation forestry

Habitat loss threatens insect diversity globally. However, complementary vegetation types in remaining habitat increases opportunities for species survival. We assess the extent to which indigenous forest patches moderate the impact of exotic commercial afforestation on grassland butterflies. Butterflies were sampled in grassland along uncorrelated gradients of landscape-scale indigenous forest and plantation cover, while controlling for variation in local vegetation composition. We separately assessed responses by butterfly groups differing in habitat preference, larval diet, and mobility. There was no effect of landscape- or local-scale variables on species richness, but there was a strong interactive effect of forest and plantation cover on butterfly assemblage structure. The effect varied according to species traits. When forest cover was high, assemblages did not differ at different levels of plantation cover. However, plantation cover significantly influenced assemblage structure when forest cover was low. Grassland with limited forest cover in the protected area supported unique assemblages with high frequency of less mobile, specialized species with herbaceous larval host plants, whereas grassland with low forest cover near plantations had a prevalence of mobile, generalist species. A positive association between forest cover and butterflies with woody larval host plants suggests that indigenous forest patches improved the suitability of fragmented grassland for a subset of butterflies, emphasising the value of natural heterogeneity in transformed areas. However, certain butterfly traits associated with large, open grassland were under-represented in grassland between plantations, underscoring the importance of open areas in the broader landscape to conserve the full diversity of species.

     

Rapid recovery of soil arthropod assemblages after exotic plantation tree removal from hydromorphic soils in a grassland‐timber production mosaic

Many wetland systems are being lost or degraded by human activities such as plantation forestry. Therefore, efforts to restore these wetland systems are important for biodiversity recovery. We assess the recovery of arthropod assemblages that occupy hydromorphic grassland topsoil and leaf litter after the removal of exotic pine trees. We sampled arthropods in three biotopes (natural untransformed hydromorphic grasslands, restored hydromorphic grasslands, and commercial pine plantations) replicated across a large‐scale timber‐grassland mosaic in the KwaZulu‐Natal Midlands, South Africa. In the restored sites, overall species richness, as well as species richness of spiders, ants, and orthopterans, was significantly higher than in plantations, and was as high as in natural, untransformed sites. Additionally, overall assemblage structure along with spider, beetle, ant, and orthopteran assemblages showed no significant differences between restored and natural grasslands. Therefore, pine tree removal enables recovery of these arthropod taxa to levels similar to those in natural hydromorphic grassland. Recovery was rapid, with the assemblages in some restored sites resembling those in untransformed sites after only 6 years, indicating a high level of resilience and recovery in these systems. Contrary to expectations, time since pine removal had a negative effect on arthropod recovery. This was due to the strongly negative effect of alien invasive American bramble (Rubus cuneifolius), which was most common in older restored sites, causing deviation from their restoration trajectory. The potential for arthropod recovery in these hydromorphic grasslands is high, but successful restoration is dependent on ongoing appropriate grassland management, especially removal of bramble.     

Diversity of dung and carrion beetles in a disturbed Mexican tropical montane cloud forest and on shade coffee plantations

This paper analyzes the diversity of dung and carrion beetles (Scarabaeinae and Silphidae) in four human-induced habitats of a disturbed tropical montane cloud forest: polyspecific shade coffee plantations, monospecific shade coffee plantations, tropical montane cloud forest fragments, and clear cuts. The four habitats had similar richness, species composition, and assemblage structure of dung and carrion beetles. Differences were found in abundance and biomass levels for the four dominant species in the landscape. Dung beetles were more abundant than carrion beetles, but the biomass was higher for the latter. Carrion beetles were seasonal, while dung beetles were clearly not. When forest fragments and shade coffee plantations were compared to other similar habitats in the region, the same general pattern was observed. However, forests with high disturbance and monospecific shade coffee plantations had lower species richness than forests with low and medium disturbance and polyspecific shade coffee plantations. Thus shade coffee plantations maintain connectivity between patches of cloud forest in a landscape that is strongly affected by human activities. Protecting landscape diversity appears to ensure high species richness.     

海南天然林与橡胶林蜘蛛多样性比较

为探索天然林和橡胶林蜘蛛多样性现状,于2010年8月在海南黎母山自然保护区选取天然林和橡胶林,采用扫网法、陷阱法和单位面积法收集蜘蛛标本,分析两种林型之间蜘蛛组成、多样性和功能群差异,并以蜘蛛科和数量分布为属性进行主成分分析(PCA),探讨林型中样方之间蜘蛛群落的相似性。共采集蜘蛛标本3609头,用于统计分析的成蛛969头,归属于23科,162种。天然林20科,100种,优势类群为跳蛛科、球蛛科和园蛛科;橡胶林17科,87种,优势类群为肖蛸蛛科、狼蛛科和猫蛛科。从蜘蛛的数量分布看,橡胶林蜘蛛个体密度显著高于天然林;而天然林多样性指数和丰富度指数显著高于橡胶林。橡胶林中结圆网型和游猎型蜘蛛显著高于天然林,结皿网型显著低于天然林,伏击型不存在显著性差异。PCA分析结果表明,24个样方趋于分成天然林和橡胶林2组,并且天然林样方之间相似性极高,而橡胶林样方之间相似性相对较低。以上结果表明:(1)橡胶林替代天然林后蜘蛛群落结构发生变化,多样性降低;(2)增加生境结构的复杂性和减少人为干扰对保护和恢复物种多样性有重要意义。     

Impact of landscape and corridor design on primates in a large-scale industrial tropical plantation landscape

Tropical plantations are rapidly expanding as a source of industrial wood. In Indonesia, such large-scale industrial plantations are generally made of large mono-specific blocks interspersed with natural forest remnants. The extent and biodiversity value of these remnants vary as laws and regulations on their design and management are either unclear, without solid scientific basis or left to the interpretation of private companies responsible for the plantations. Our study area comprises of three Acacia mangium plantations, which have on average 18% of their total area set aside from production and conserved as natural forests. These remnant natural forests may, if appropriately designed and managed, be used to mitigate the negative impact of plantations on biodiversity by providing some degree of connectivity with and between remaining natural forest patches (such as the Tesso Nilo conservation area). We sampled natural vegetation in one and primate diversity in all three plantation sector and examined patterns of primate species richness and abundance with relation to spatial arrangement and dimensions of conservation area, which has been set aside from plantation production. We demonstrate unambiguously the critical importance of a well-connected network of natural forest corridors in the plantation landscape to maintain primates and discuss the potential biodiversity value of natural forest remnants in broad-scale industrial landscapes.     

Characterizing Movement of Ground-Dwelling Arthropods with a Novel Mark-Capture Method Using Fluorescent Powder

A major knowledge gap exists in understanding dispersal potential of ground-dwelling arthropods, especially in forest ecosystems. Movement of the ground-dwelling arthropod community was quantified using a novel mark-capture technique in which three different colored fluorescent powders in two separate mixtures were applied to the floor of a deciduous forest in concentric bands 3, 8, and 15 m from the center of 30 × 30 m experimental plots. The majority (67.1%) of ground-dwelling arthropods did not cross a colored band when fluorescents were mixed with protein powder in 2014. However, when mixed with sand in 2015, 77.3% of captured arthropods were marked with fluorescent powder, with the majority of individuals crossing one band (41.2%), suggesting limited dispersal by most individuals in the community. Only 2.8% and 15.0% of arthropods crossed all three bands in 2014 and 2015, respectively, which further indicates that individuals have limited dispersal. Responses were taxon-specific, and a high proportion of some arthropods such as millipedes and harvestmen crossed two or three bands. Limited dispersal by most individuals may have important implications for the structure and distribution of ground-dwelling arthropod communities, as well as their responses to natural or anthropogenic disturbances. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of this novel technique for self-marking and capturing individuals in the field to investigate dispersal of ground-dwelling arthropods.