Commercial banana and macadamia plantations in a savanna matrix support high levels of arthropod diversity

Expansion and intensification of agroecosystems is one the major causes habitat loss in savanna biome South Africa. As such, this study sought to determine influence commercial subtropical fruit plantations (banana macadamia) on species richness, abundance, composition surface-active arthropods compared biome. Given that pesticides herbicides are applied from spring early autumn banana macadamia plantations, we sampled winter reduce potential impact herbicides. Surface-active were using pitfall traps. Habitat type did not affect richness abundance ants spiders, as well beetles. However, significantly greater beetles was recorded plantation savanna. This could have been due herbivorous other insects, which would increased diversity predatory Furthermore, unlike plantation, characterised by a deep leaf litter layer presence weeds grasses, probably Species indicated studied arthropod taxa associate with specific habitats, demonstrated three habitats supporting different composition. Despite high or arthropods, highest number unique spiders rather than plantations. These results highlight importance natural landscapes conservation arthropods.