Arthropod communities associated with Acacia auriculiformis saplings during degraded area restoration

Acacia auriculiformis (Fabaceae) is a fast-growing, hardy pioneer species with nitrifying potential, commonly used in the recovery of degraded areas. This study evaluated plant growth traits in A. auriculiformis saplings, vegetation cover, the associated insect and spider communities, their ecological indices (abundance, diversity, and species richness), and their interactions during a 24-month restoration period. The number of leaves/branch, branches/sapling, and ground cover were higher in A. auriculiformis saplings in the second year. During the first year, greater species richness and abundance of sap-sucking Hemiptera, phytophagous Coleoptera, and phytophagous Orthoptera were observed on A. auriculiformis leaves, along with increased spider abundance, higher numbers of the tending ants Pheidole sp. and Pseudomyrmex termitarius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and a greater presence of Cycloneda sanguinea (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Saplings with more leaves/branch hosted higher numbers of Brachymyrmex sp. and Camponotus sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), along with an increased abundance of tending ants. The higher number of Bemisia sp. was positively associated with that of Pheidole sp., and vice versa, and the higher number of Aethalium reticulatum (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) was positively correlated with that of P. termitarius. Conversely, greater numbers of Pheidole sp. and P. termitarius reduced Phaneropterinae and Salticidae numbers, respectively. Increased species richness of tending ants negatively affected those of Orthoptera and their abundance, while higher species richness of spiders reduced that of Coleoptera. The expansion of ground cover with sapling age highlights the importance of A. auriculiformis in restoring degraded areas.