Precipitation and tree biomass drive the diversity and functional composition of tropical rainforest cricket assemblages across climate and disturbance gradients

Precipitation and tree biomass drive the diversity and functional composition of tropical rainforest cricket assemblages across climate and disturbance gradients | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecography This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 7 October 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Precipitation and tree biomass drive the diversity and functional composition of tropical rainforest cricket assemblages across climate and disturbance gradients Authors : Charlotte Raven 0009-0002-2390-8698 [email protected] , Andy Howe , David Rentz , Emma Mackintosh , Andrew Marshall , and Helen Nahrung Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175982962.25409489/v1 250 views 129 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Disturbance-driven changes in rainforest structure and environmental conditions can alter ecosystem functioning, yet the consequences for invertebrate communities - key contributors to decomposition, herbivory, and trophic interactions - are not fully understood, particularly in relation to structural changes in vegetation. We examined how climate, vegetation structure, and associated environmental gradients influence cricket communities (Orthoptera: Ensifera) in disturbed tropical rainforests of north Queensland, Australia. Using richness, abundance-weighted diversity, community ordination, and trait-based analyses, we assessed taxonomic and functional responses to variation in forest structure and climate. We used crickets as a model taxon due to their high local endemism, sensitivity to microhabitat conditions, and value as indicators of environmental change in tropical ecosystems. Species richness increased with precipitation and aboveground biomass, the latter reflecting differences in disturbance and forest recovery, and both explained the greatest variation in community composition. Trait–environment associations showed that flightlessness increased with elevation, tree density, and latitude. Acoustic species were associated with higher aboveground biomass, while smaller, non-acoustic species declined with biomass and elevation. These results show that climate and disturbance-driven changes in vegetation structure can influence invertebrate communities, producing functionally distinct assemblages with altered dispersal and acoustic signalling, and highlight the value of trait-based approaches for understanding biodiversity responses to environmental change. Supplementary Material File (main_text_file.docx) Download 1.69 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 07 October 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Collection Ecography Keywords arthropod composition hill numbers lianas tropical rainforest vegetation complexity Authors Affiliations Charlotte Raven 0009-0002-2390-8698 [email protected] University of the Sunshine Coast View all articles by this author Andy Howe University of the Sunshine Coast View all articles by this author David Rentz James Cook University Division of Tropical Environments and Societies View all articles by this author Emma Mackintosh University of the Sunshine Coast View all articles by this author Andrew Marshall University of the Sunshine Coast View all articles by this author Helen Nahrung University of the Sunshine Coast View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 250 views 129 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Charlotte Raven, Andy Howe, David Rentz, et al. Precipitation and tree biomass drive the diversity and functional composition of tropical rainforest cricket assemblages across climate and disturbance gradients. Authorea . 07 October 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175982962.25409489/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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