Ecological indexes of arthropods on Sapindus saponaria (Sapindaceae) plants fertilized with urban dehydrated sewage sludge

Ecological indexes of arthropods on Sapindus saponaria (Sapindaceae) plants fertilized with urban dehydrated sewage sludge | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Ecological indexes of arthropods on Sapindus saponaria (Sapindaceae) plants fertilized with urban dehydrated sewage sludge David Lopes Teixeira, Germano Leão Demolin Leite, Regynaldo Arruda Sampaio, and 7 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7215720/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Introduction: Soil degradation and land abandonment caused by intensive agriculture threaten ecosystem functions, yet conservation programs often overlook arthropods such as insects and spiders and their essential roles in food webs. Aims/Methods: We evaluated the effects of urban dehydrated sewage sludge on Sapindus saponaria (Sapindales) by comparing fertilized (T1) and unfertilized (T2) plants in a degraded area of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We measured leaves per branch, branches per plant, ground cover, and arthropod abundance, diversity and richness over 24 months under both treatments. Results Plants receiving sewage sludge were significantly higher in numbers of leaves per branch, branches per plant and percentage ground cover (all p < 0.05). Arthropod abundance, diversity and species richness, including chewing insects, predators and total arthropod assemblages, were also greater in the fertilized treatment (all p < 0.05). Discussion Urban sewage sludge, a nutrient-rich organic amendment, enhances both plant growth and the structure of arthropod communities, likely by increasing habitat complexity and resource availability during ecosystem recovery. Implications for insect conservation: Application of dehydrated sewage sludge in restoration schemes can boost arthropod biodiversity and support trophic interactions, contributing to more resilient insect populations in degraded tropical habitats. Biodiversity chewers predators sustainability urban waste Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 INTRODUCTION Negative impacts by agriculture and livestock farming (Cortina-Segarra et al. 2021 ), especially with the use of inappropriate production techniques, degrade soils and cause land abandonment (Chazdon 2003 , Sassen & Sheil 2013 ). Recovering program of these lands (Brandão et al. 2017 , Rigacci et al. 2021 ) focus primarily on the most vulnerable animal species (Mawdsley 2011 , Bedoya-Durán et al. 2021 , Fagundes et al. 2021 ), what may not be the most appropriate approach (Avtzis et al. 2018 ). Pollination, food for other animals, and interactions with plants, as well insects and spiders, should be considered in recovering programs (Dangles & Casas 2019 ). Arthropods are food for vulnerable animals (Lima et al. 2010 , Pavlacky et al. 2015 ) such as birds in the Atlantic Forest, especially Coleoptera and Hymenoptera orders (Lima et al. 2010 ). These arthropods, vulnerable in many environments, should be conserved to maintain their functions, especially in understudied areas (Didham et al. 2020 ). Sapindus saponaria L. (Sapindales: Sapindaceae), a late secondary forest plant, reaching heights up to eight meters (Grisi et al. 2012 ) and native to the Americas (Quigley et al. 2017 ), has been reported from the north (Pará State) to the south (Rio Grande do Sul State) of Brazil (Rodrigues et al. 2004 ). Species of this family are source of products to treat dermatitis, stomach pains, and as anthelmintics, diuretics, expectorants, sedatives, and stimulants (Grisi et al. 2015 ). Sapindus saponaria symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria is low, and the application of organic materials rich in nutrients increased growth of this plant (Song et al. 2018 ). Synthetic fertilizers, rich in nitrogen, can increase the cost and even making recovering of degraded areas unfeasible (Martins et al. 2016). Sewage sludge, from the processing of municipal or industrial wastewater, is a semi-solid material rich in organic matter and chemical elements with potential as a fertilizer in processes to recover areas (Eid et al. 2020). Plants absorb nutrients from sludge, including those toxics such as heavy metals, reducing environmental contamination (Martins et al. 2016). Besides, dehydrated sewage sludge did not affect the diversity of pathogens in the soil and the content of heavy metals in maize, Zea mays L. (Poales: Poaceae), and cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabales: Fabaceae) plantations (Nogueira et al. 2007 ). However, this material can increase nitrogen levels in plants, essential for protein production and consequently herbivorous insects and their natural enemy abundance, diversity and richness (Ness et al. 2009 , Dourado et al. 2020 , Godschalx et al. 2023 ), thereby improving ecosystem dynamics (Dourado et al. 2020 ). The hypothesis is that urban dehydrated sewage sludge increases plant leaf production, ground cover, and arthropods abundance, richness, and diversity. The aim of this study was evaluating number S. saponaria leaves per branch, branches per plant and, ground cover, besides abundance, diversity, and richness of insects and spiders, as well as their interactions with this plant fertilized or not fertilized with urban dehydrated sewage sludge. METHODS Experimental site This trial was carried out in an Instituto de Ciências Agrárias ( ICA ) area of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG ) (16º51' S × 44º55' W and 620 m above sea level) in the municipality of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil from March 2012 to February 2014 by grazing without proper management resulting in soil losses and changes in its chemistry and hydrology (Silva et al. 2020 ). The climate is Aw according to the Köppen system, indicating a tropical savannah climate with a dry winter and a rainy summer (Kottek et al. 2006 ). The soil is litolic neosoil (Santana et al. 2016 ), with its chemical and physical characteristics detailed (Silva et al. 2020 ). Experimental design Sapindus saponaria seeds were harvested from plants at UFMG and planted in plastic polybags (8 cm in diameter × 12 cm in height) in a nursery (Souza et al. 2023). The substrate used was 10% reactive natural phosphate, 30% sand, 30% clay soil, and 30% organic fertilizer, with 160 g applied per seedling (Silva et al. 2023 ) in March 2011 for seedling production. The organic fertilizer was constituted by a mix of one part of tanned Nelore manure, Bos taurus indicus L., 1758 (Artiodactyla: Bovidae), and parts of garden pruning debris (plant fragments ≤ 5 cm) (Leite et al., 2024 ). The seedlings were watered twice a day. Six-month-old S. saponaria seedlings, approximately 30 cm high, were transplanted, manually, into the degraded area in pits measuring 40 × 40 × 40 cm (Silva et al. 2023 ). Soil pH in the pits was adjusted with dolomitic limestone (90% total relative neutralization power) (187 g/pit), increasing base saturation to 50% (Kopittke & Menzies 2007 ). Natural phosphate (80 g/pit), fritted trace elements (10 g/pit), and marble rock dust (1 kg/pit) were applied based on soil analysis (Leite et al., 2024 ). One S. saponaria seedling was planted in each pit, with eight per row, spaced two meters apart, in six parallel rows—four with dehydrated sewage sludge and four without it in September 2011. Undesirable lateral branches and those from first-third crown height were pruned with properly sanitized pruning shears. Dehydrated sewage sludge was mixed into the soil within the manually excavated pits. Experimental design followed a completely randomized block arrangement (planting rows) with two treatments: the application of 20 L of dehydrated sewage sludge per pit in a single dose at planting, with six replicates, and four replicates without this fertilizer, totalling 48 S. saponaria plants easily recognizable without the need of a voucher specimen to be deposited in a herbarium (Silva et al., 2023 ). The required permits to cultivate the plants were obtained from the "Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA)" of Brazil. Dehydrated sewage sludge Dehydrated sewage sludge with 5% moisture, was sourced from the sewage treatment plant (STP) at the municipality of Juramento, northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil, approximately 40 km from the Sapindus saponaria experimental site (Silva et al. 2023 ). This STP, operated by the Minas Gerais Sanitation Company S.A., produces 217 m³ of sewage sludge daily. The system removes over 93% of organic matter from the sewage. Sewage sludge was sun-dried in impermeable tanks lined with coarse sand for three months at the STP. This process reduces thermotolerant coliform bacteria, meeting the criteria set by the National Environmental Council (Resolution N° 375) of the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment for agricultural use, which stipulates a maximum of < 103 most probable number/g of total solids. Dehydrated sewage sludge fundamental chemical and biological characteristics have been identified and described (Nogueira et al. 2007 ). Plants mass production and soil coverage The number of leaves per branch and branches per plant were counted monthly on 48 S. saponaria plants (Leite et al. 2024 ). The percentage of soil covered by litter, grasses, and herbaceous vegetation was assessed monthly through visual observations in each plot (1 m²) under the projected canopy area per plant. Ecological arthropod indexes Arthropod counts were conducted visually every 15 days on the upper (adaxial) and lower (abaxial) surfaces of S. saponaria leaves. Observations took place from 7:00 to 11:00 A.M., with leaves selected randomly from the basal, middle, and apical sections of the canopy (representing 0–33%, 34–66%, and 67–100% of the total canopy height, respectively). Leaves were sampled from the eastern, northern, southern, and western sides of each tree, with one leaf collected per cardinal direction at each canopy height level, resulting in a total of 12 leaves per tree per assessment. This protocol was followed for a period of 24 months (Silva et al. 2023 ). Adults, larvae, and nymphs of arthropods, including the rarest individuals, were counted on a total of 27,648 leaves. These leaves were sampled to cover the entire canopy (vertical and horizontal axes) of 48 S. saponaria plants. The evaluator carefully examined the adaxial surface of each leaf and, when the abaxial surface was not visible, gently lifted the leaf with a slow and delicate motion to observe it. Highly mobile insects, such as Orthoptera, that flew away upon approach were counted if their taxonomic group (e.g., order) could be identified (Leite et al. 2024 ). The arthropods (insects and spiders) were not removed from the plants during the evaluation. A maximum of three individuals per species were collected using an aspirator during the initial stage of the study (planting until the first evaluation, six months later). This activity required two hours per week storing the specimens in vials with 70% ethanol. The collected specimens were sorted into morphospecies and sent to specialists for identification (in the acknowledgments) (Leite et al. 2024 ). Any arthropod species not previously recorded was collected, labelled, and forwarded to a taxonomist specialist in its group for identification. The identified arthropods were deposited in the laboratory collection of UFMG. Permission to collect in these sites and for the related activities was obtained from the landowner (UFMG). None of the collected arthropods are endangered or belong to protected species. The arthropod individuals observed on 12 leaves (three canopy heights and four cardinal directions per plant) constituted each replication. Ecological indexes, including species abundance, diversity, and richness, were calculated for the different groups (chewing insects, phytophagous Coleoptera and Diptera, tending ants, and natural enemies) on plants from both treatments (with and without dehydrated sewage sludge). These calculations were performed using the BioDiversity Pro 2.0 software (Krebs 1989 ). Abundance and species richness were determined according to the total number of individuals and species per tree, respectively (Scheiner, 2003 ). Diversity was calculated using Hill's formula N1 = exp (H'), where H′ represents the Shannon–Weaver diversity index, based on the actual number of individuals per species (Hill 1973 ). Statistics The effect of dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer on the number of leaves/branch and branches/plant, and percentages of soil cover by S. saponaria trees were verified by analysis of variance (F, p < 0.05). The data were transformed to √x + 0.5 (when necessary), after testing them for normality and homogeneity of variance. Data of abundance, diversity, and richness of coleopteran phytophagous, dipteran phytophagous, orthopteran phytophagous, spiders, total chewing, and predators on S. saponaria plants, fertilized or not with dehydrated sewage sludge, were analysed using a GLM with quasi-Poisson error distribution. The significance of the treatment effects was tested using the analysis of variance (Chi, p < 0.05). The model adjusted was compared using the null model (p < 0.05) (Ulrich & Goteli 2010). The quality of the GLMs was assessed by checking the normality of the distribution of the model residuals with a q-q plot and by plotting the model residuals against fitted values to check for their homoscedasticity. All analyses were performed, and graphics generated with R 4.13, using the packages dplyr , ggplot2 , MASS , and hnp (R Core Team 2023). A correlation matrix was fitted between the variable response leaf biomass and explanatory ones. Variables with correlation above 90% were excluded. The correlation between Coleoptera abundance and richness was high and, for this reason, removed to improve the final model. A PCR, between the response variable with all explanatory ones, except Coleoptera abundance, was adjusted. All variables with tolerance 10) were excluded to reduce the multicollinearity in the regression (Orthoptera, chewing and predator richness). A PCR with all significant explanatory variables, without the response one, was performed to verify the general behaviour of the first ones in relation to the last, without considering its strength. The relationship between the variables abundance, diversity, and richness per functional group of insects were obtained using the principal component analysis (PCA) (p < 0.05) of the R, version 4.13 software, the dplyr, corrplot, olsrr , and GPArotation packages for the analysis and ggbiplot packages for the graphics (R Core Team 2022). The projection of the principal axes on a scatterplot was obtained using a “biplot”. RESULTS Sapindus saponaria plants, number of leaves/branches, branches/plant and ground cover Sapindus saponaria numbers of leaves per branch (F = 105.63), branches per plant (F = 11.66), and the percentage of ground cover (litter, grasses, and herbaceous vegetation) (F = 84.02) were higher (p < 0.05) in dehydrated sewage sludge treatment (Table 1 ). Table 1 Numbers of leaves/branch and branches/plant and percentage of soil cover per Sapindus saponaria (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) plant (mean ± SE of the mean) with or without dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer Dehydrated sewage sludge ANOVA With Without F P Leaves/branch 16.55 ± 0.83a 6.88 ± 0.39b 105.63 0.00 Branches/plant 19.51 ± 2.30a 7.22 ± 0.73b 11.66 0.00 Soil cover (%) 24.69 ± 1.05a 5.96 ± 0.41b 84.02 0.00 Means followed by the same lower-case letter per line do not differ by the Tukey test (P < 0.05). Degrees of freedom: treatment = 1, block = 5, and residual = 41. SE = standard error. Ecological arthropod indexes Abundance and species richness of chewers (Chi = 2.0474, Chi = 0.9555), phytophagous beetles (Chi = 1.2528, Chi = 1.4271), dipterans (Chi = 3.1478, Chi = 14.723), and spiders (Chi = 1.4165, Chi = 0.9954) and abundance (Chi = 1.4165), diversity (Chi = 0.7872), and species richness of total predators (including spiders), were higher (P < 0.05, df = 1) on S. saponaria plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge (Table 2 ). Table 2 Abundance (Ab.), diversity (Div.), and species richness (SR.) of chewing insects, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Orthoptera phytophagous and predators per Sapindus saponaria (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) plant (mean ± standard error- SE) with or without dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer Ecological indexes Dehydrated sewage sludge ANOVA With Without F P Ab. of chewing insects 31.96 ± 5.73 4.13 ± 1.84 Qui2 1; 46 = 2.0474 0.00 Div. of chewing insects n.s . 2.90 ± 0.40 2.02 ± 0.38 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.3591 0.14 SR. of chewing insects 3.25 ± 0.24 1.25 ± 0.19 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.9555 0.00 Ab. of Coleoptera 1.17 ± 0.29 0.33 ± 0.17 Qui2 1; 46 = 1.2528 0.02 Div. of Coleoptera n.s . 0.52 ± 0.33 0.26 ± 0.15 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.7043 *** SR. of Coleoptera 1.04 ± 0.23 0.25 ± 0.10 Qui2 1; 46 = 1.4271 0.00 Ab. of Diptera 20.38 ± 3.55 0.88 ± 0.45 Qui2 1; 46 = 3.1478 0.00 Div. of Diptera n.s . 0.22 ± 0.17 0.12 ± 0.08 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.620 *** SR. of of Diptera 0.75 ± 0.12 0.08 ± 0.05 Qui2 1; 46 = 14.723 0.00 Ab. of Orthoptera n.s . 1.79 ± 0.30 1.13 ± 0.25 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.4654 0.10 Div. of Orthoptera n.s . 0.78 ± 0.22 0.99 ± 0.28 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.2350 *** SR. of Orthoptera n.s . 1.04 ± 0.14 0.75 ± 0.15 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.3285 0.17 Ab. of spiders 3.08 ± 0.52 0.71 ± 0.22 Qui2 1; 46 = 1.4709 0.00 Div. of spiders n.s . 1.37 ± 0.53 1.44 ± 0.51 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.0492 *** SR. of spiders 1.92 ± 0.23 0.71 ± 0.22 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.9954 0.00 Ab. of predators 28.00 ± 6.09 6.79 ± 2.26 Qui2 1; 46 = 1.4165 0.00 Div. of predators 7.52 ± 1.08 3.42 ± 0.75 Qui2 1; 46 = 0.7872 0.00 SR. of predators 5.58 ± 0.37 1.83 ± 0.33 Qui2 1; 46 = 1.1137 0.00 n.s. highly non-significant by ANOVA (P > 0.05). Degrees of freedom: treatment = 1, block = 5, and residual = 41. SE = standard error. Interactions between groups and soil litter produced by S. saponaria plants The first four components showed a positive relationship between abundance, diversity, and richness of chewing insects (Diptera, phytophagous Coleoptera, and Orthoptera) and predators (spiders) with the leaf biomass of S. saponaria . The second component confirmed that the relationship between the abundance, richness, and diversity of Diptera, abundance of chewing insects, and abundance and diversity of predators with the abundance, richness, and diversity of spiders, richness and diversity of phytophagous Coleoptera, and diversity of chewing insects and the abundance and diversity of Orthoptera was inverse (Figs. 1 and 2 , Table 3 ). Table 3 Principal Component Regression adjustment between the response variable number of leaves of Sapindus saponaria (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) with all explanatory variables Variables Tolerance VIF Coleoptera phytophagous richness 0.12005618 8.329434 Coleoptera phytophagous diversity 0.50109619 1.995625 Orthoptera abundance 0.16215998 6.166749 Orthoptera richness 0.09727388 10.280251 Orthoptera diversity 0.21697337 4.608861 Chewing insect abundance 0.15604475 6.408418 Chewing insect richness 0.05278053 18.946380 Chewing insect diversity 0.18726610 5.339995 Diptera abundance 0.25472232 3.925844 Diptera richness 0.30589654 3.269079 Diptera diversity 0.30643986 3.263283 Spider abundance 0.31095324 3.215918 Spider richness 0.12195956 8.199439 Spider diversity 0.26356148 3.794181 Predator abundance 0.33449254 2.989603 Predator richness 0.09843332 10.159161 Predator diversity 0.30521721 3.276355 All variables with tolerance 10, were excluded to reduce the multicollinearity in the regression. DISCUSSION Sapindus saponaria plants number of leaves/branch, branches/plant and ground cover The higher numbers of leaves per branch and branches per plant of S. saponaria with dehydrated sewage sludge are likely due to the richness of organic matter and nutrients, especially nitrogen in this material (Nogueira et al. 2007 ). Furthermore, sewage sludge increases colonization by endophytic and soil microorganisms, such as decomposers, and consequently, the availability of nutrients, benefiting the plants (Mackay et al. 2017 ). The larger canopy of plants fertilized with sewage sludge (greater TIB) provides more food resources, increasing ecological indices such as arthropod abundance (Ferrier & Prince 2004, Leite et al. 2017 ). The increased ground cover with litter by S. saponaria with dehydrated sewage sludge confirms improvement in the process of recovering degraded areas, important to reduce erosion and increasing soil fertility (Franco et al. 2002 ). The increase in vegetation cover by plants fertilized with sewage sludge affects different trophic levels, including herbivores and predators in the herbaceous layer, with a more favourable microclimate and floristic composition (Chenchouni et al. 2015 ), such as higher weed diversity (Franin et al. 2016 ). The colonization of insects indicates success in the recovery process to restore ecosystem dynamics (Silva et al. 2020 ), with denser vegetation reducing antagonism between predators and herbivores (Chenchouni et al. 2015 ). The greater growth of S. saponaria trees fertilized with sewage sludge is similar to that reported for Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. Mantan Benth. and Acacia mangium Willd. (Fabales: Fabaceae), confirming the importance of this material to recover degraded areas, which should be done according to the expected attribute (greater branch production or vegetation cover) and ecological and social improvement. Ecological arthropod indexes The higher abundance and richness of chewers, phytophagous beetles, and dipterans, as well as the abundance, diversity, and species richness of total predators (including spiders) on S. saponaria plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge, are attributed to the numbers of leaves per branch, branches per plant, and percentages of ground cover by this plant. The higher availability of nutrients in fertilized plants increases the development and reproduction of chewer insects and phytophagous beetles (Strauss & Biedermann 2006 , Leite et al. 2012 , Welti et al. 2019). The great number of shelters in larger plants increases protection against natural enemies (Franin et al. 2016 ) and consequently the abundance and richness of these insects, including dipterans (Rizzotto et al. 2019 , Skarbek et al. 2020 ). Furthermore, the higher numbers of foraging sites and populations of phytophagous insects on larger, better-nourished plants increase the abundance of spiders through the bottom-up effect (Welti et al. 2019). The higher number and richness of prey on S. saponaria , fertilized with sewage sludge, is due to the larger size of this plant reducing antagonism between predators and increasing the richness and diversity of these species (McCaig et al. 2020 ). Interactions between groups and soil litter produced by S. saponaria plants The first four principal components, with eigenvalues of 27.5, 15.8, 14.3, and 10.4%, respectively, explaining 68% of the variation in the data, are the most important ones. These principal components were chosen because individually they explain more than 10% of the variance of the data (Marukatat 2023 ). The positive interaction between the abundance, richness, and diversity of chewing insects and predators with the leaf area of S. saponaria fertilized with sewage sludge is due to the increased availability of sites for mating, foraging, shelter, and protection for associated fauna, including herbivores and predators (Silva et al. 2021). On the other hand, the greater prey availability, such as herbivorous insects, increases that of predators, including spiders (Majer et al. 2013). The negative correlation between the abundance, diversity and richness of Orthoptera, phytophagous Coleoptera, and the diversity and richness of chewers with the abundance, diversity and richness of predators is due to antagonism between these groups (Leite et al. 2012 ). The negative correlation between the abundance of phytophagous beetles and spiders on S. saponaria plants confirms the reduction of chewing insects due to the increase in the number of the latter organisms (Leite et al. 2012 ). Natural enemies are important in agroecosystem balance (Lima Junior et al. 2013 ) as they reduce pest (Coleoptera and Lepidoptera) on plants (Ferrier & Prince 2004). The abundance of herbivores on Qualea multiflora Mart. (Myrtalles: Vochysiaceae) plants in a tropical savanna was lower with the presence of spiders, even with partially glued mouthparts (Nahas et al. 2012 ). The higher leaf mass and spider populations, as well as the lower damage by herbivores confirm their use as a low-cost alternative to improve plant development and ecological relationships between pests and natural enemies. The hypothesis that the application of sewage sludge increases leaf production, ground cover, and the abundance, diversity and richness of arthropods was confirmed. The higher numbers of leaves per branch and branches per plant, as well as the percentage of ground cover and the abundance, diversity, and species richness of total predators (including spiders) and the abundance and richness of chewing insects, phytophagous beetles, and dipterans on S. saponaria plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge indicate a promising strategy to recover degraded areas. The application of dehydrated sewage sludge, a safe urban waste and rich in organic matter and nitrogen, can enhance the effectiveness of recovering degraded area and interactions with arthropods. Declarations Acknowledgments We would like to thank Dr. Antônio Domingos Brescovit (Instituto Butantan, São Paulo state, Brazil) and Dr. Ayr de Moura Bello (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil) for arthropod species identification, Aranae and coleopterans, respectively. The voucher numbers for insects, deposited at the “Centro de Estudos Faunísticos e Ambientais”, “Universidade Federal do Paraná” in Curitiba, Paraná state, Brazil, are 1595/02 and 1597/02 and that of spiders, deposited at the “Instituto Butantan”, São Paulo state, Brazill are IBSP 36921, 36922, 36923, and 36924. Competing Interests The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Funding We thank the Brazilian agencies “Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)”, “Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES- Finance Code 001)”, “Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)”, and “Programa Cooperativo sobre Proteção Florestal (PROTEF) of the Instituto de Pesquisas e Estudos Florestais (IPEF)”. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Ethics approval All relevant ethical guidelines were followed. Collection of arthropods was authorised by the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and did not involve endangered species. Data Availability Statement The datasets supporting this article are available in the Dryad Digital Repository at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2jm63xt2b under a CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author contributions David Lopes Teixeira: Conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, visualization, writing – original draft. Germano Leão Demolin Leite – Conceptualization, methodology, investigation, data curation, formal analysis, validation, visualization, writing – review & editing, funding acquisition, project administration. Regynaldo Arruda Sampaio: Validation, writing – original draft. Wagner de Souza Tavares: Validation, writing – original draft. Tarcísio Marcos Macedo Mota Filho: Validation, writing – original draft. Islam Dad Buneri: Validation, writing – original draft. 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Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental 11:331–338. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-43662007000300014 Pavlacky DC, Possingham HP, Goldizen AW (2015) Integrating life history traits and forest structure to evaluate the vulnerability of rainforest birds along gradients of deforestation and fragmentation in eastern Australia. Biol Conserv 188:89–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.10.020 Quigley DTG, Gainey PA, Easton C (2017) Soapberry Sapindus sp. (Sapindaceae: Sapindoideae): drift endocarps from UK waters. New Jorunal Bot 7:160–164 R Core Team (2016) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Vienna. Avaliable from: < https://www.R-project.org (Accessed on June 5, 2023) Rigacci EDB, Paes ND, Félix GM, Silva WR (2021) The resilient frugivorous fauna of an urban forest fragment and its potential role in vegetation enrichment. Urban Ecosyst 24:943–958. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-020-01080-5 Rizzotto AM, Roani AH, Guarda C et al (2019) Mirmecofauna em áreas de preservação permanente e plantios florestais no noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul. Ciência Florestal 29:1227–1240. https://doi.org/10.5902/1980509836279 Rodrigues RR, Martins SV, De Barros LC (2004) Tropical rain forest regeneration in an area degraded by mining in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Ecol Manage 190:323–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2003.10.023 SAEG (2007) Sistema para Análises Estatísticas, versão 9.1: Fundação Arthur Bernardes - UFV – Viçosa. Available at: http://arquivo.ufv.br/saeg/ . Accessed on: 15 June 2017 Santana PHL, Frazão LA, Santos LDF et al (2016) Soil attributes and production of Eucalyptus in monoculture and silvopastoral systems in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil. J Agric Sci Technol B 6:361–370. https://doi.org/10.17265/2161-6264/2016.06.001 Sassen M, Sheil D (2013) Human impacts on forest structure and species richness on the edges of a protected mountain forest in Uganda. Ecol Manage 307:206–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.07.010 Scheiner SM (2003) Six types of species-area curves. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 12:441–447. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1466-822X.2003.00061.x Silva JL, Demolin Leite GL, de Souza Tavares W et al (2020) Diversity of arthropods on Acacia mangium (Fabaceae) and production of this plant with dehydrated sewage sludge in degraded area. R Soc Open Sci 7:191196. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191196 Silva JL, Demolin-Leite GL, Soares MA et al (2023) Phytophagous insects and natural enemies on Sapindus saponaria L. (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) plants fertilized with or without dehydrated sewage sludge. Brazilian J Biology 83:e271509. https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.271509 Skarbek CJ, Noack M, Bruelheide H et al (2020) A tale of scale: plot but not neighbourhood tree diversity increases leaf litter ant diversity. J Anim Ecol 89:299–308. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13115 Song Z, Seitz S, Zhu P et al (2018) Spatial distribution of LAI and its relationship with throughfall kinetic energy of common tree species in a Chinese subtropical forest plantation. Ecol Manage 425:189–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2018.05.046 Strauss B, Biedermann R (2006) Urban brownfields as temporary habitats: driving forces for the diversity of phytophagous insects. Ecography 29:928–940 Tukey JW (1949) Comparing individual means in the analysis of variance. Biometrics 5:99–114. https://doi.org/10.2307/3001913 Ulrich W, Gotelli NJ (2010) Null model analysis of species associations using abundance data. Ecology 91:3384–3397. https://doi.org/10.1890/09-2157.1 Welti EAR, Prather RM, Sanders NJ et al (2020) Bottom-up when it is not top‐down: Predators and plants control biomass of grassland arthropods. J Anim Ecol 89:1286–1294. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13191 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7215720","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":513718044,"identity":"30848037-60eb-477a-b5c6-d573e91d481d","order_by":0,"name":"David Lopes Teixeira","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA+UlEQVRIie3RMWvCQBTA8XcIdTl0vSz6FV7o4qDkq9xx0Emw4NIxEtBFcM3ghxCE4Hghg8uBayaJBJwypFsHh6YxpdMla4f7c8NbfrwHB2Cz/cdU9ShMqon4AAgwBJLVcwdhQH+J4/ewk8CTNKHqIIOzdlVREa8frFn5fh2/pvKFkdPVSBw9x3j/s4XGgRvi0o1qopdGguqNJ/VhTKxyipxE6SJBsuZmcrk3ZHzzkwdy7xjKXjtJpWq2kFUOyMWBSZK1ESfNVbxHRqkWgbtFLkOdk0xoMxlcRFAWH9NRf3O+s68Hn+02EtTnyUya8/6+5VkXsNlsNlt73wrjVALa+bX1AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"David","middleName":"Lopes","lastName":"Teixeira","suffix":""},{"id":513718045,"identity":"87659051-1e26-40c9-a838-94ca771e15cb","order_by":1,"name":"Germano Leão Demolin Leite","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Germano","middleName":"Leão Demolin","lastName":"Leite","suffix":""},{"id":513718046,"identity":"4986ea67-0db7-4651-8031-c2d2225adb8f","order_by":2,"name":"Regynaldo Arruda Sampaio","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Regynaldo","middleName":"Arruda","lastName":"Sampaio","suffix":""},{"id":513718047,"identity":"6a8c95ec-e00c-4f4e-8292-7c7652dd2368","order_by":3,"name":"Wagner Souza Tavares","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd. (APRIL), PT. Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Wagner","middleName":"Souza","lastName":"Tavares","suffix":""},{"id":513718048,"identity":"4fb12832-c613-4453-b204-303b694e7115","order_by":4,"name":"Tarcísio Marcos Macedo Mota Filho","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade Estadual de São Paulo","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tarcísio","middleName":"Marcos Macedo Mota","lastName":"Filho","suffix":""},{"id":513718049,"identity":"ce82efa6-acaa-4dc2-83a5-cec811b86bf4","order_by":5,"name":"Islam Dad Buneri","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Karachi","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Islam","middleName":"Dad","lastName":"Buneri","suffix":""},{"id":513718050,"identity":"11cb2a96-1703-4627-8e69-83b48e55e3e7","order_by":6,"name":"Ronald Zanetti","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade Federal de Lavras","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ronald","middleName":"","lastName":"Zanetti","suffix":""},{"id":513718051,"identity":"e10da0ac-096e-494d-bf67-30ade4e24a0e","order_by":7,"name":"Roberto Silva Camargo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade Estadual de São Paulo","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Roberto","middleName":"Silva","lastName":"Camargo","suffix":""},{"id":513718052,"identity":"61d81181-0625-471b-b597-b17342460f6e","order_by":8,"name":"Carlos Frederico Wilcken","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade Estadual de São Paulo","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Carlos","middleName":"Frederico","lastName":"Wilcken","suffix":""},{"id":513718053,"identity":"f32bff8d-776c-4b6e-b5b4-43657fb99e5a","order_by":9,"name":"José Cola Zanuncio","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade Federal de Viçosa","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"José","middleName":"Cola","lastName":"Zanuncio","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-25 15:38:18","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7215720/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7215720/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":91441579,"identity":"7a2a293f-457c-4c6f-9af7-6ceea64d8ea7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-16 14:09:04","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":62122,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eBiplot of the relationships between the variables leaf mass of \u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e(Sapindales: Sapindaceae) plants, Diptera, chewing insects, predators, and phytophagous Coleoptera and Orthoptera.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7215720/v1/c6e0ed3a10792afffcc1f435.png"},{"id":91442115,"identity":"73bc85eb-e8ff-4634-91c0-95a53eccbae5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-16 14:17:05","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":445093,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCorrelation matrix between the response variable number of leaves of \u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) with the explanatory abundance variables (Col. A.), richness (Col. R.), and diversity (Col. D.) of Coleoptera phytophagous, abundance (Ort. A.), richness (Ort. R.) and diversity (Ort. D.) of Orthoptera, abundance (Che. A.), richness (Che. R.), and diversity (Che. D.) of chewing insects, abundance (Dip. A.), richness (Dip. R.), and diversity (Dip. D.) of Diptera, abundance (Spi. A.), richness (Spi. R.), and diversity (Spi. D.) of spiders, abundance (Pre. A.), richness (Pre. R.), and diversity (Pre. R) of predators, abundance (Lea. A.) of leaves, number (Bru. T.) of branch/trees, and soil cover percentage (Soi. C.).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7215720/v1/e8f957edc7852789e6c7a9cc.png"},{"id":94105466,"identity":"2c07e0df-fa38-4db3-b95d-b94bfdf5863f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-22 12:16:51","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1439942,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7215720/v1/c6e8bd70-7cde-4a3d-a5c2-53b84d6bc7f4.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Ecological indexes of arthropods on Sapindus saponaria (Sapindaceae) plants fertilized with urban dehydrated sewage sludge","fulltext":[{"header":"INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eNegative impacts by agriculture and livestock farming (Cortina-Segarra et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e), especially with the use of inappropriate production techniques, degrade soils and cause land abandonment (Chazdon \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e, Sassen \u0026amp; Sheil \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Recovering program of these lands (Brandão et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e, Rigacci et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) focus primarily on the most vulnerable animal species (Mawdsley \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e, Bedoya-Durán et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e, Fagundes et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e), what may not be the most appropriate approach (Avtzis et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePollination, food for other animals, and interactions with plants, as well insects and spiders, should be considered in recovering programs (Dangles \u0026amp; Casas \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Arthropods are food for vulnerable animals (Lima et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e, Pavlacky et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) such as birds in the Atlantic Forest, especially Coleoptera and Hymenoptera orders (Lima et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). These arthropods, vulnerable in many environments, should be conserved to maintain their functions, especially in understudied areas (Didham et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e L. (Sapindales: Sapindaceae), a late secondary forest plant, reaching heights up to eight meters (Grisi et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e) and native to the Americas (Quigley et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), has been reported from the north (Pará State) to the south (Rio Grande do Sul State) of Brazil (Rodrigues et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). Species of this family are source of products to treat dermatitis, stomach pains, and as anthelmintics, diuretics, expectorants, sedatives, and stimulants (Grisi et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). \u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria is low, and the application of organic materials rich in nutrients increased growth of this plant (Song et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Synthetic fertilizers, rich in nitrogen, can increase the cost and even making recovering of degraded areas unfeasible (Martins et al. 2016).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSewage sludge, from the processing of municipal or industrial wastewater, is a semi-solid material rich in organic matter and chemical elements with potential as a fertilizer in processes to recover areas (Eid et al. 2020). Plants absorb nutrients from sludge, including those toxics such as heavy metals, reducing environmental contamination (Martins et al. 2016). Besides, dehydrated sewage sludge did not affect the diversity of pathogens in the soil and the content of heavy metals in maize, \u003cem\u003eZea mays\u003c/em\u003e L. (Poales: Poaceae), and cowpea, \u003cem\u003eVigna unguiculata\u003c/em\u003e (L.) Walp. (Fabales: Fabaceae) plantations (Nogueira et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). However, this material can increase nitrogen levels in plants, essential for protein production and consequently herbivorous insects and their natural enemy abundance, diversity and richness (Ness et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e, Dourado et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e, Godschalx et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), thereby improving ecosystem dynamics (Dourado et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe hypothesis is that urban dehydrated sewage sludge increases plant leaf production, ground cover, and arthropods abundance, richness, and diversity. The aim of this study was evaluating number \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e leaves per branch, branches per plant and, ground cover, besides abundance, diversity, and richness of insects and spiders, as well as their interactions with this plant fertilized or not fertilized with urban dehydrated sewage sludge.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHODS","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eExperimental site\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis trial was carried out in an \u003cem\u003eInstituto de Ciências Agrárias\u003c/em\u003e (\u003cem\u003eICA\u003c/em\u003e) area of the \u003cem\u003eUniversidade Federal de Minas Gerais\u003c/em\u003e (\u003cem\u003eUFMG\u003c/em\u003e) (16º51' S × 44º55' W and 620 m above sea level) in the municipality of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil from March 2012 to February 2014 by grazing without proper management resulting in soil losses and changes in its chemistry and hydrology (Silva et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). The climate is Aw according to the Köppen system, indicating a tropical savannah climate with a dry winter and a rainy summer (Kottek et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). The soil is litolic neosoil (Santana et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e), with its chemical and physical characteristics detailed (Silva et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eExperimental design\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e seeds were harvested from plants at UFMG and planted in plastic polybags (8 cm in diameter × 12 cm in height) in a nursery (Souza et al. 2023). The substrate used was 10% reactive natural phosphate, 30% sand, 30% clay soil, and 30% organic fertilizer, with 160 g applied per seedling (Silva et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) in March 2011 for seedling production. The organic fertilizer was constituted by a mix of one part of tanned Nelore manure, \u003cem\u003eBos taurus\u003c/em\u003e indicus L., 1758 (Artiodactyla: Bovidae), and parts of garden pruning debris (plant fragments ≤ 5 cm) (Leite et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The seedlings were watered twice a day.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSix-month-old \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e seedlings, approximately 30 cm high, were transplanted, manually, into the degraded area in pits measuring 40 × 40 × 40 cm (Silva et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Soil pH in the pits was adjusted with dolomitic limestone (90% total relative neutralization power) (187 g/pit), increasing base saturation to 50% (Kopittke \u0026amp; Menzies \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). Natural phosphate (80 g/pit), fritted trace elements (10 g/pit), and marble rock dust (1 kg/pit) were applied based on soil analysis (Leite et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). One \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e seedling was planted in each pit, with eight per row, spaced two meters apart, in six parallel rows—four with dehydrated sewage sludge and four without it in September 2011. Undesirable lateral branches and those from first-third crown height were pruned with properly sanitized pruning shears. Dehydrated sewage sludge was mixed into the soil within the manually excavated pits. Experimental design followed a completely randomized block arrangement (planting rows) with two treatments: the application of 20 L of dehydrated sewage sludge per pit in a single dose at planting, with six replicates, and four replicates without this fertilizer, totalling 48 \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e plants easily recognizable without the need of a voucher specimen to be deposited in a herbarium (Silva et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). The required permits to cultivate the plants were obtained from the \"Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA)\" of Brazil.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDehydrated sewage sludge\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDehydrated sewage sludge with 5% moisture, was sourced from the sewage treatment plant (STP) at the municipality of Juramento, northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil, approximately 40 km from the \u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e experimental site (Silva et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). This STP, operated by the Minas Gerais Sanitation Company S.A., produces 217 m³ of sewage sludge daily. The system removes over 93% of organic matter from the sewage.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSewage sludge was sun-dried in impermeable tanks lined with coarse sand for three months at the STP. This process reduces thermotolerant coliform bacteria, meeting the criteria set by the National Environmental Council (Resolution N° 375) of the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment for agricultural use, which stipulates a maximum of \u0026lt; 103 most probable number/g of total solids. Dehydrated sewage sludge fundamental chemical and biological characteristics have been identified and described (Nogueira et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePlants mass production and soil coverage\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe number of leaves per branch and branches per plant were counted monthly on 48 \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e plants (Leite et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The percentage of soil covered by litter, grasses, and herbaceous vegetation was assessed monthly through visual observations in each plot (1 m²) under the projected canopy area per plant.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEcological arthropod indexes\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArthropod counts were conducted visually every 15 days on the upper (adaxial) and lower (abaxial) surfaces of \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e leaves. Observations took place from 7:00 to 11:00 A.M., with leaves selected randomly from the basal, middle, and apical sections of the canopy (representing 0–33%, 34–66%, and 67–100% of the total canopy height, respectively). Leaves were sampled from the eastern, northern, southern, and western sides of each tree, with one leaf collected per cardinal direction at each canopy height level, resulting in a total of 12 leaves per tree per assessment. This protocol was followed for a period of 24 months (Silva et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Adults, larvae, and nymphs of arthropods, including the rarest individuals, were counted on a total of 27,648 leaves. These leaves were sampled to cover the entire canopy (vertical and horizontal axes) of 48 \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e plants.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe evaluator carefully examined the adaxial surface of each leaf and, when the abaxial surface was not visible, gently lifted the leaf with a slow and delicate motion to observe it. Highly mobile insects, such as Orthoptera, that flew away upon approach were counted if their taxonomic group (e.g., order) could be identified (Leite et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The arthropods (insects and spiders) were not removed from the plants during the evaluation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA maximum of three individuals per species were collected using an aspirator during the initial stage of the study (planting until the first evaluation, six months later). This activity required two hours per week storing the specimens in vials with 70% ethanol. The collected specimens were sorted into morphospecies and sent to specialists for identification (in the acknowledgments) (Leite et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Any arthropod species not previously recorded was collected, labelled, and forwarded to a taxonomist specialist in its group for identification. The identified arthropods were deposited in the laboratory collection of UFMG. Permission to collect in these sites and for the related activities was obtained from the landowner (UFMG). None of the collected arthropods are endangered or belong to protected species.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe arthropod individuals observed on 12 leaves (three canopy heights and four cardinal directions per plant) constituted each replication. Ecological indexes, including species abundance, diversity, and richness, were calculated for the different groups (chewing insects, phytophagous Coleoptera and Diptera, tending ants, and natural enemies) on plants from both treatments (with and without dehydrated sewage sludge). These calculations were performed using the BioDiversity Pro 2.0 software (Krebs \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1989\u003c/span\u003e). Abundance and species richness were determined according to the total number of individuals and species per tree, respectively (Scheiner, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e). Diversity was calculated using Hill's formula N1 = exp (H'), where H′ represents the Shannon–Weaver diversity index, based on the actual number of individuals per species (Hill \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1973\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStatistics\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe effect of dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer on the number of leaves/branch and branches/plant, and percentages of soil cover by \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e trees were verified by analysis of variance (F, p \u0026lt; 0.05). The data were transformed to √x + 0.5 (when necessary), after testing them for normality and homogeneity of variance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eData of abundance, diversity, and richness of coleopteran phytophagous, dipteran phytophagous, orthopteran phytophagous, spiders, total chewing, and predators on \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e plants, fertilized or not with dehydrated sewage sludge, were analysed using a GLM with quasi-Poisson error distribution.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe significance of the treatment effects was tested using the analysis of variance (Chi, p \u0026lt; 0.05). The model adjusted was compared using the null model (p \u0026lt; 0.05) (Ulrich \u0026amp; Goteli 2010). The quality of the GLMs was assessed by checking the normality of the distribution of the model residuals with a q-q plot and by plotting the model residuals against fitted values to check for their homoscedasticity. All analyses were performed, and graphics generated with R 4.13, using the packages \u003cem\u003edplyr\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eggplot2\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMASS\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003ehnp\u003c/em\u003e (R Core Team 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA correlation matrix was fitted between the variable response leaf biomass and explanatory ones. Variables with correlation above 90% were excluded. The correlation between Coleoptera abundance and richness was high and, for this reason, removed to improve the final model. A PCR, between the response variable with all explanatory ones, except Coleoptera abundance, was adjusted. All variables with tolerance \u0026lt; 0.1 and variance inflation factor (VIF, \u0026gt; 10) were excluded to reduce the multicollinearity in the regression (Orthoptera, chewing and predator richness). A PCR with all significant explanatory variables, without the response one, was performed to verify the general behaviour of the first ones in relation to the last, without considering its strength. The relationship between the variables abundance, diversity, and richness per functional group of insects were obtained using the principal component analysis (PCA) (p \u0026lt; 0.05) of the R, version 4.13 software, the \u003cem\u003edplyr, corrplot, olsrr\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eGPArotation\u003c/em\u003e packages for the analysis and \u003cem\u003eggbiplot\u003c/em\u003e packages for the graphics (R Core Team 2022). The projection of the principal axes on a scatterplot was obtained using a “biplot”.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eplants, number of leaves/branches, branches/plant and ground cover\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e numbers of leaves per branch (F\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;105.63), branches per plant (F\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;11.66), and the percentage of ground cover (litter, grasses, and herbaceous vegetation) (F\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;84.02) were higher (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) in dehydrated sewage sludge treatment (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNumbers of leaves/branch and branches/plant and percentage of soil cover per \u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) plant (mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SE of the mean) with or without dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDehydrated sewage sludge\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eANOVA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithout\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLeaves/branch\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.55\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.83a\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.88\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.39b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e105.63\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBranches/plant\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.51\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.30a\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.22\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.73b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSoil cover (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.69\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.05a\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.96\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.41b\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e84.02\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003eMeans followed by the same lower-case letter per line do not differ by the Tukey test (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Degrees of freedom: treatment\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1, block\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;5, and residual\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;41. SE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;standard error.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEcological arthropod indexes\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbundance and species richness of chewers (Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.0474, Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.9555), phytophagous beetles (Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.2528, Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.4271), dipterans (Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.1478, Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;14.723), and spiders (Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.4165, Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.9954) and abundance (Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.4165), diversity (Chi\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.7872), and species richness of total predators (including spiders), were higher (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05, df\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1) on \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbundance (Ab.), diversity (Div.), and species richness (SR.) of chewing insects, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Orthoptera phytophagous and predators per \u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) plant (mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;standard error- SE) with or without dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEcological indexes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDehydrated sewage sludge\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eANOVA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithout\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAb. of chewing insects\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.96\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.73\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.13\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.84\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.0474\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiv. of chewing insects\u003csup\u003en.s\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.02\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.3591\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSR. of chewing insects\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.19\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.9555\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAb. of Coleoptera\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.17\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.29\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.33\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.2528\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.02\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiv. of Coleoptera\u003csup\u003en.s\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.52\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.26\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.7043\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSR. of Coleoptera\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.04\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.4271\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAb. of Diptera\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.38\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.55\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.88\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.1478\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiv. of Diptera\u003csup\u003en.s\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.22\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.12\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.08\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.620\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSR. of of Diptera\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.08\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;14.723\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAb. of Orthoptera\u003csup\u003en.s\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.79\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.13\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.4654\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiv. of Orthoptera\u003csup\u003en.s\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.78\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.99\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.28\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.2350\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSR. of Orthoptera\u003csup\u003en.s\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.04\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.3285\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAb. of spiders\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.08\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.52\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.71\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.4709\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiv. of spiders\u003csup\u003en.s\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.37\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.53\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.44\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.51\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0492\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSR. of spiders\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.92\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.71\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.9954\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAb. of predators\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.09\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.79\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.4165\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiv. of predators\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.52\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.08\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.42\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.75\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.7872\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSR. of predators\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.58\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.83\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQui2 1; 46\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.1137\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003en.s. highly non-significant by ANOVA (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Degrees of freedom: treatment\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1, block\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;5, and residual\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;41. SE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;standard error.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eInteractions between groups and soil litter produced by\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eplants\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first four components showed a positive relationship between abundance, diversity, and richness of chewing insects (Diptera, phytophagous Coleoptera, and Orthoptera) and predators (spiders) with the leaf biomass of \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e. The second component confirmed that the relationship between the abundance, richness, and diversity of Diptera, abundance of chewing insects, and abundance and diversity of predators with the abundance, richness, and diversity of spiders, richness and diversity of phytophagous Coleoptera, and diversity of chewing insects and the abundance and diversity of Orthoptera was inverse (Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrincipal Component Regression adjustment between the response variable number of leaves of \u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) with all explanatory variables\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTolerance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVIF\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eColeoptera phytophagous richness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.12005618\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.329434\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eColeoptera phytophagous diversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.50109619\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.995625\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrthoptera abundance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.16215998\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.166749\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrthoptera richness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.09727388\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.280251\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrthoptera diversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.21697337\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.608861\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eChewing insect abundance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.15604475\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.408418\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eChewing insect richness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.05278053\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.946380\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eChewing insect diversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.18726610\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.339995\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiptera abundance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.25472232\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.925844\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiptera richness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.30589654\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.269079\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiptera diversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.30643986\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.263283\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpider abundance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.31095324\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.215918\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpider richness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.12195956\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.199439\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpider diversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.26356148\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.794181\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePredator abundance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.33449254\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.989603\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePredator richness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.09843332\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.159161\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePredator diversity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.30521721\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.276355\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"3\"\u003eAll variables with tolerance\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.1, and variance inflation factor (VIF)\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;10, were excluded to reduce the multicollinearity in the regression.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eplants number of leaves/branch, branches/plant and ground cover\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe higher numbers of leaves per branch and branches per plant of \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e with dehydrated sewage sludge are likely due to the richness of organic matter and nutrients, especially nitrogen in this material (Nogueira et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, sewage sludge increases colonization by endophytic and soil microorganisms, such as decomposers, and consequently, the availability of nutrients, benefiting the plants (Mackay et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). The larger canopy of plants fertilized with sewage sludge (greater TIB) provides more food resources, increasing ecological indices such as arthropod abundance (Ferrier \u0026amp; Prince 2004, Leite et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). The increased ground cover with litter by \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e with dehydrated sewage sludge confirms improvement in the process of recovering degraded areas, important to reduce erosion and increasing soil fertility (Franco et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). The increase in vegetation cover by plants fertilized with sewage sludge affects different trophic levels, including herbivores and predators in the herbaceous layer, with a more favourable microclimate and floristic composition (Chenchouni et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), such as higher weed diversity (Franin et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). The colonization of insects indicates success in the recovery process to restore ecosystem dynamics (Silva et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), with denser vegetation reducing antagonism between predators and herbivores (Chenchouni et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). The greater growth of \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e trees fertilized with sewage sludge is similar to that reported for \u003cem\u003eAcacia auriculiformis\u003c/em\u003e A. Cunn. Mantan Benth. and \u003cem\u003eAcacia mangium\u003c/em\u003e Willd. (Fabales: Fabaceae), confirming the importance of this material to recover degraded areas, which should be done according to the expected attribute (greater branch production or vegetation cover) and ecological and social improvement.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEcological arthropod indexes\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe higher abundance and richness of chewers, phytophagous beetles, and dipterans, as well as the abundance, diversity, and species richness of total predators (including spiders) on \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge, are attributed to the numbers of leaves per branch, branches per plant, and percentages of ground cover by this plant. The higher availability of nutrients in fertilized plants increases the development and reproduction of chewer insects and phytophagous beetles (Strauss \u0026amp; Biedermann \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e, Leite et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e, Welti et al. 2019). The great number of shelters in larger plants increases protection against natural enemies (Franin et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) and consequently the abundance and richness of these insects, including dipterans (Rizzotto et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e, Skarbek et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, the higher numbers of foraging sites and populations of phytophagous insects on larger, better-nourished plants increase the abundance of spiders through the bottom-up effect (Welti et al. 2019). The higher number and richness of prey on \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e, fertilized with sewage sludge, is due to the larger size of this plant reducing antagonism between predators and increasing the richness and diversity of these species (McCaig et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eInteractions between groups and soil litter produced by\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eplants\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first four principal components, with eigenvalues of 27.5, 15.8, 14.3, and 10.4%, respectively, explaining 68% of the variation in the data, are the most important ones. These principal components were chosen because individually they explain more than 10% of the variance of the data (Marukatat \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). The positive interaction between the abundance, richness, and diversity of chewing insects and predators with the leaf area of \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e fertilized with sewage sludge is due to the increased availability of sites for mating, foraging, shelter, and protection for associated fauna, including herbivores and predators (Silva et al. 2021). On the other hand, the greater prey availability, such as herbivorous insects, increases that of predators, including spiders (Majer et al. 2013). The negative correlation between the abundance, diversity and richness of Orthoptera, phytophagous Coleoptera, and the diversity and richness of chewers with the abundance, diversity and richness of predators is due to antagonism between these groups (Leite et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). The negative correlation between the abundance of phytophagous beetles and spiders on \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e plants confirms the reduction of chewing insects due to the increase in the number of the latter organisms (Leite et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). Natural enemies are important in agroecosystem balance (Lima Junior et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) as they reduce pest (Coleoptera and Lepidoptera) on plants (Ferrier \u0026amp; Prince 2004). The abundance of herbivores on \u003cem\u003eQualea multiflora\u003c/em\u003e Mart. (Myrtalles: Vochysiaceae) plants in a tropical savanna was lower with the presence of spiders, even with partially glued mouthparts (Nahas et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). The higher leaf mass and spider populations, as well as the lower damage by herbivores confirm their use as a low-cost alternative to improve plant development and ecological relationships between pests and natural enemies. The hypothesis that the application of sewage sludge increases leaf production, ground cover, and the abundance, diversity and richness of arthropods was confirmed.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe higher numbers of leaves per branch and branches per plant, as well as the percentage of ground cover and the abundance, diversity, and species richness of total predators (including spiders) and the abundance and richness of chewing insects, phytophagous beetles, and dipterans on \u003cem\u003eS. saponaria\u003c/em\u003e plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge indicate a promising strategy to recover degraded areas. The application of dehydrated sewage sludge, a safe urban waste and rich in organic matter and nitrogen, can enhance the effectiveness of recovering degraded area and interactions with arthropods.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe would like to thank Dr. Ant\u0026ocirc;nio Domingos Brescovit (Instituto Butantan, S\u0026atilde;o Paulo state, Brazil) and Dr. Ayr de Moura Bello (Funda\u0026ccedil;\u0026atilde;o Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil) for arthropod species identification, Aranae and coleopterans, respectively. The voucher numbers for insects, deposited at the \u0026ldquo;Centro de Estudos Faun\u0026iacute;sticos e Ambientais\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;Universidade Federal do Paran\u0026aacute;\u0026rdquo; in Curitiba, Paran\u0026aacute; state, Brazil, are 1595/02 and 1597/02 and that of spiders, deposited at the \u0026ldquo;Instituto Butantan\u0026rdquo;, S\u0026atilde;o Paulo state, Brazill are IBSP 36921, 36922, 36923, and 36924.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe thank the Brazilian agencies \u0026ldquo;Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient\u0026iacute;fico e Tecnol\u0026oacute;gico (CNPq)\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;Coordena\u0026ccedil;\u0026atilde;o de Aperfei\u0026ccedil;oamento de Pessoal de N\u0026iacute;vel Superior (CAPES- Finance Code 001)\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;Funda\u0026ccedil;\u0026atilde;o de Amparo \u0026agrave; Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;Programa Cooperativo sobre Prote\u0026ccedil;\u0026atilde;o Florestal (PROTEF) of the Instituto de Pesquisas e Estudos Florestais (IPEF)\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll relevant ethical guidelines were followed. Collection of arthropods was authorised by the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and did not involve endangered species.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets supporting this article are available in the Dryad Digital Repository at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2jm63xt2b under a CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Lopes Teixeira: Conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, visualization, writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGermano Le\u0026atilde;o Demolin Leite \u0026ndash; Conceptualization, methodology, investigation, data curation, formal analysis, validation, visualization, writing \u0026ndash; review \u0026amp; editing, funding acquisition, project administration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegynaldo Arruda Sampaio: Validation, writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWagner de Souza Tavares: Validation, writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTarc\u0026iacute;sio Marcos Macedo Mota Filho: Validation, writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIslam Dad Buneri: Validation, writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRonald Zanetti \u0026ndash; Conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, validation, visualization, writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoberto da Silva Camargo: Validation, writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarlos Frederico Wilcken: Validation, writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJos\u0026eacute; Cola Zanuncio \u0026ndash; Supervision.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAvtzis DN, Stara K, Sgardeli V et al (2018) Quantifying the conservation value of Sacred Natural Sites. 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J Anim Ecol 89:1286\u0026ndash;1294. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13191\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1111/1365-2656.13191\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Biodiversity, chewers, predators, sustainability, urban waste","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7215720/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7215720/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eIntroduction:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSoil degradation and land abandonment caused by intensive agriculture threaten ecosystem functions, yet conservation programs often overlook arthropods such as insects and spiders and their essential roles in food webs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAims/Methods:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe evaluated the effects of urban dehydrated sewage sludge on \u003cem\u003eSapindus saponaria\u003c/em\u003e (Sapindales) by comparing fertilized (T1) and unfertilized (T2) plants in a degraded area of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We measured leaves per branch, branches per plant, ground cover, and arthropod abundance, diversity and richness over 24 months under both treatments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlants receiving sewage sludge were significantly higher in numbers of leaves per branch, branches per plant and percentage ground cover (all \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Arthropod abundance, diversity and species richness, including chewing insects, predators and total arthropod assemblages, were also greater in the fertilized treatment (all \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDiscussion\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eUrban sewage sludge, a nutrient-rich organic amendment, enhances both plant growth and the structure of arthropod communities, likely by increasing habitat complexity and resource availability during ecosystem recovery.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eImplications for insect conservation:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eApplication of dehydrated sewage sludge in restoration schemes can boost arthropod biodiversity and support trophic interactions, contributing to more resilient insect populations in degraded tropical habitats.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Ecological indexes of arthropods on Sapindus saponaria (Sapindaceae) plants fertilized with urban dehydrated sewage sludge","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-16 14:08:46","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7215720/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d007a0e4-5764-4137-81f3-4a436d7c1d7e","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 16th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-22T12:08:42+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-16 14:08:46","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7215720","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7215720","identity":"rs-7215720","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}