Management intensity and habitat structure jointly shape moth communities in perennial agroecosystems

Central European apple orchards face increasing management intensity, raising concerns about their capacity to support insect biodiversity. While previous research prioritised pests or specific practices, the impact of legally defined apple orchard types on whole moth assemblages remains understudied. We investigated how extensive, organic and integrated (i.e., legally regulated pesticide use) management types influence moth communities. From May to September 2025, we sampled moths using UV light traps across 18 orchards in four regions. We analysed community composition, species richness, phylogenetic diversity, trait–environment relationships and partitioned beta diversity into turnover and nestedness. Recording 6439 individuals across 374 species, we found that extensive types exhibited the highest species richness, significantly outperforming integrated types, while organic and integrated types maintained similar, lower richness. Management practices significantly influenced community composition, driven largely by microhabitat differences, with clear divergence between integrated and organic types. Phylogenetic diversity remained unchanged, indicating lineage‐independent turnover. Functional trait associations were weak, except for lichen‐ovipositing species favouring older trees in extensive types. Beta‐diversity differences stemmed primarily from species turnover rather than nestedness. Furthermore, these management differences were driven by a combination of shifts in average species composition and varying levels of within‐group community heterogeneity. Management intensity influences moth communities mainly through species replacement rather than functional or phylogenetic filtering. Structural features, such as retaining older trees, appear more crucial for biodiversity than management labels alone. Therefore, policies promoting habitat heterogeneity and structural complexity may conserve moth biodiversity more effectively than solely reducing chemical inputs.