By disentangling the mechanisms that underpin changes in community biomass, we show that local arthropod biomass declines are overwhelmingly associated with species losses, independent of which species are lost and with only minor contributions of abundance change. High plant diversity and low land-use intensity mitigate arthropod biomass declines and community homogenization.
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This is a summary of: Wildermuth, B. et al. Arthropod species loss underpins biomass declines. Nat. Ecol. Evol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02909-y (2025).
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When local arthropod biomass declines, every species counts.
Nat Ecol Evol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02918-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02918-x
Source: Ecology - nature.com
