Preliminary Functional Group Patterns of Arthropods in a Maize Field and Adjacent Cultivated Refuge Strip in South Africa

ABSTRACT Agricultural intensification is a major driver of global arthropod declines. Habitat management strategies, such as cultivated refuge strips (CRS), can counteract these effects by enhancing biodiversity, promoting conservation biological control and improving agroecosystem resilience. This study assessed the influence of a CRS on arthropod diversity and community composition in an adjacent maize field. Sampling was conducted over 6 weeks during the maize reproductive stage using pitfall and pan traps along three transects. One station was located in the CRS, with others positioned 5, 10, 15 and 20 m into the maize field. In total, 20 460 arthropods were collected, representing 284 morphospecies across 88 families and 18 orders. Data were analysed using ANOVA, NMDS ordinations and PERMANOVA to test for differences in community composition across distances. Results showed significant variation ( p < 0.05) in the abundance of all functional groups and in the species richness of predators ( p = 0.001), decomposers, herbivores ( p = 0.0001) and parasitoids ( p = 0.0005). Shannon–Wiener diversity of decomposers ( p = 0.00001) and parasitoids ( p = 0.0049) also differed across distances. Community composition varied with distance ( p = 0.001), indicating a unique species assemblage in the CRS. Overall, CRSs supported higher arthropod biodiversity, likely due to additional resources and refuge, underscoring their value in biodiversity conservation within intensive agricultural landscapes.