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- Up from the bottom: Consistent vertical distance-decay in arthropod assemblage similarity across native and exotic forests in Terceira island (Azores)Publication . Lhoumeau, Sébastien Georges André; Borges, P.A.V.ABSTRACT: This study compares the vertical stratification of arthropod assemblages in native and exotic forests on Terceira Island (Azores), focusing on how assemblage similarity decays with increasing vertical distance between strata. We tested three hypotheses: (H1) the overall arthropod assemblage similarity decays with vertical distance; (H2) exotic forests exhibit lower decay rates due to structural simplification; and (H3) the contribution of both indigenous and non-indigenous arthropod assemblages to vertical distance decay differs. Arthropods were sampled across four strata in ten native and ten exotic forest plots using pitfall and SLAM traps. We computed the beta diversity between each strata, partitioning turnover versus richness differences. We found a significant decay in the overall arthropod assemblage similarity with increasing vertical distance, driven primarily by species turnover rather than richness differences. Contrary to predictions, the rate of vertical decay did not differ significantly between native and exotic forests, suggesting that structural simplification in exotic forests does not necessarily reduce vertical stratification. However, the species origin of the arthropods had a significant effect on the vertical distribution patterns, with non indigenous species showing a restricted vertical ranges compared to indigenous species. These findings highlight the significance of incorporating vertical dimensions in biodiversity assessments and conservation strategies, emphasising the pivotal role of species biogeographical origin in shaping vertical community structure in island forest ecosystems.