ARTHROPODS AS KEY DRIVERS OF FOREST REGENERATION AND HEALTH: ECOLOGICAL ROLES, POPULATION DYNAMICS, AND FUNCTIONAL IMPACTS

Arthropods are key regulators of ecosystem stability, regeneration, and sustainability through their involvement in decomposition, nutrient recycling, soil improvement, biological control, and seed dispersal. Despite their immense contribution to ecosystem functioning, the existing evidence remains limited across taxa, forest types, and ecological functions. Additionally, the overall contribution of arthropod diversity to forest regeneration and health has not been adequately synthesized. This review addresses this gap by integrating empirical evidence on the ecological roles, population dynamics, and functional impacts of forest arthropods. Published literature from 2001 to 2026 was identified through Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, with an emphasis on studies examining functional guilds, ecosystem engineering, herbivory, decomposition, biomass, and responses to disturbance. The synthesis indicates that arthropods support plant growth, survival, and continuity by accelerating litter and dung decomposition, improving soil characteristics, and regulating pests through natural-enemy interactions. Insect herbivory may cause seedling mortality of up to 35%, while ants, termites, beetles, and spiders can increase leaf-litter decomposition rates by approximately 31%. Arthropods also contribute substantially to forest biomass, with an estimated contribution of about 300 Mt, although their functional importance varies among regions and forest types. The novelty of this review lies in linking beneficial and harmful arthropod functions within a single forest-regeneration framework and highlighting how biodiversity loss may simultaneously weaken decomposition, soil quality, plant recruitment, and ecosystem resilience. Important knowledge gaps remain concerning climate-change responses, invasive species, and disturbance-driven population shifts. Integrating arthropod conservation into forest management is therefore essential for sustaining biodiversity and forest resilience. Keywords: Arthropod biodiversity, forest decomposition, forest stability, forest health, forest resilience