title: A summary of eight traits of Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Orthoptera and Araneae, occurring in grasslands in Germany.
abstract: Analyses of species traits have increased our understanding of how environmental drivers such as disturbances affect the composition of arthropod communities and related processes. There are, however, few studies on which traits in the arthropod community are affected by environmental changes and which traits affect ecosystem functioning. The assembly of arthropod traits of several taxa is difficult because of the large number of species, limited availability of trait databases and differences in available traits. We sampled arthropod species data from a total of 150 managed grassland plots in three regions of Germany. These plots represent the spectrum from extensively used pastures to mown pastures to intensively managed and fertilized meadows. In this paper, we summarize information on body size, dispersal ability, feeding guild and specialization (within herbivores), feeding mode, feeding tissue (within herbivorous suckers), plant part (within herbivorous chewers), endophagous lifestyle (within herbivores), and vertical stratum use for 1,230 species of Coleoptera, Hemiptera (Heteroptera, Auchenorrhyncha), Orthoptera (Saltatoria: Ensifera, Caelifera), and Araneae, sampled by sweep-netting between 2008 and 2012. We compiled traits from various literature sources and complemented data from reliable internet sources and the authors' experience.
authors.affiliation: Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Center for Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München , Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gossner
authors.affiliation: Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Center for Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München , Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadja K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.affiliation: TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institute for Biosciences, Biology & Ecology Unit , Leipziger Straße 29, D-09599 Freiberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Achtziger
authors.affiliation: Callistus-Gemeinschaft für Zoologische & Ökologische Untersuchungen , Heidloh 8, D-95503 Hummeltal, Germany ; Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum , Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blick
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum , Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang H O
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Dorow
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture/Landscape Management, HTW Dresden University of Applied Sciences , Pillnitzer Platz 2, D-01326 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dziock
authors.affiliation: Strombergstr. 22a , D-53332 Bornheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.affiliation: Environment Agency Austria, Dept. Biodiversity & Nature Conservation , Spittelauer Lände 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rabitsch
authors.affiliation: Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Center for Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München , Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Weisser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005858:Germany; D065948:Grassland; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D009987:Orthoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D013112:Spiders / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology