Contribution of savanna and forest restoration outcomes on terrestrial arthropod communities in eastern Rwanda

This study assessed the effects of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) approach in restoration of savanna and forest on arthropod diversity and abundance in Eastern Rwanda. Arthropods were sampled across restored, disturbed, and natural habitats using pitfall traps, sweep nets, and hand searching. A total of 8887 individuals representing 74 families were identified, with Insecta being the dominant class, especially Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera. Formicidae, Acrididae, and Cicadellidae were the most abundant families in both forest and savanna. Further, the savanna exhibited greater arthropod abundance, particularly in plot A, which showed the most favorable restoration outcome using the EbA approach. However, the forest ecosystem demonstrated higher diversity, particularly in the EbA-restored plot, surpassing both natural and disturbed plots. Salticidae family dominated the Arachnida class, with more individuals recorded in the savanna, while Diplopoda had low diversity but were present in both ecosystems. Neriidae family was significantly more abundant in the savanna. Although statistical tests showed no significant difference in median arthropod abundance between savanna and forest, rarefaction and diversity indices indicated more even and diverse communities in forests. Findings emphasize that while savannas support large arthropod populations, forests, especially the plot restored using EbA approach, harbor more ecologically balanced and diverse communities. The success of EbA in enhancing arthropod diversity in restored forests underscores its importance for biodiversity conservation. This study highlights the need for continued monitoring of arthropod communities in restored landscapes of Rwanda, as they serve as valuable indicators of restoration success. Clinical trial number: not applicable.