The comparative study plots (CSPs) are 27 forest plots chosen to span in plant species richness and stand age. This range in plant species richness and stand age is used to investigate for their effect on diverse mechanisms in the area of biodiversity-ecosystem functionning (BEF). Here we have captured arthropods using yellow sticky traps. Part 2: Plot caracteristics.

Arthropod sampling: Data collection took place from the end of June to mid-August 2010. Ten yellow sticky traps used for pest control in gardens (9 x 11 cm sticky area, double face, MIOPLANT, Switzerland) were placed in each study plot. The plot understory layer was sampled by setting 5 traps at 2 m height fixed on top of bamboo sticks. One bamboo trap was positioned in the center of the plot, the four others in the center of the four corner subplots. The plot canopy layer was sampled with the other five traps hung in the crown of five tree individuals (hereafter called the “tree traps”) selected to approximate the tree species composition of the plot. To do so, individuals belonging to the five most abundant tree species with stems >10 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were chosen within each plot. Summed area at breast height was used to discriminate between two equally abundant species. Whenever less than five tree species were present, the most abundant species was used twice. Within tree species, individuals were chosen at random. After collection, the traps were protected by a plastic film and stored in a freezer until further processing.

alf: Alniphyllum fortunei, alk: Albizia kalkora, cac: Castanopsis carlesii, cae: Castanopsis eyrei, caf: Castanopsis fargesii, cah: Castanea henryi, cas: Castanopsis sclerophylla, cat: Castanopsis tibetana, cul: Cunninghamia lanceolata, cyg: Cyclobalanopsis glauca, cym: Cyclobalanopsis myrsinifolia, cys: Cyclobalanopsis stewardiana, dah: Dalbergia hupeana, dao: Daphniphyllum oldhamii, ded: Dendropanax dentiger, ilc: Ilex chinensis, lif: Liquidambar formosana, lig: Lithocarpus glaber, mat: Machilus thunbergii, myr: Myrica rubra, nys: Nyssa sinensis, pim: Pinus massoniana, pit: Pinus taiwanensis, prs: Prunus schneideriana, qup: Quercus phillyraeoides, qus: Quercus serrata, rhl: Rhododendron latouchea, scs: Schima superba, syb: Syzygium buxifolium

Insect sorting and counting: Arthropods were identified directly on the traps and were classified by order, part of them further by families and then, based on external morphological characteristics, by morphospecies. Larvae were considered as separate morphospecies because their diet often differs from their respective adult form (e.g. Lepidopteran, folivore larvae but nectarivores adults). Based on the taxonomy and the inspection of the arthropod mouthparts, each morphospecies was assigned to one feeding guild: folivores, sap-suckers, predators (including parasitoids), detritivores, pollinators (as adult butterflies which do not damage leaves anymore) and miscellaneous herbivore arthropods that could not be classified more precisely (mostly thrips and different fly species).