Leaf litter arthropods show little response to structural retention in a Central European forest

Abstract Decomposition of leaf litter is a central process energy and nutrient cycling in forests, which arthropods hold important roles. Thus, safeguarding the diversity organisms including increasingly being considered contemporary forestry, not least to facilitate continued ecosystem functioning. Retention forestry tries achieve biodiversity conservation by preservation tree structural elements such as deadwood microhabitats provide more heterogeneous habitat. Leaf are, however, only indirectly connected with structure, raises question if how currently practised retention influences arthropod community. As community includes very diverse range taxa that challenging identify morphologically, we sampled environmental DNA from on 66 plots Black Forest southern Germany were distributed over gradients forest landscape features differed management intensity. We found richness operational taxonomic units, surrogate for species, was related structure but tended increase recent harvest intensity (which did exceed medium our plots). Community composition share coniferous trees present plot, lesser extend elevation coverage. Our results indicate responsive towards different degrees changes introduced long type retained.