SYDNEY, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- An international study with Australian researchers links changes in El Nino to significant biodiversity loss in tropical forest arthropods, including butterflies, beetles and spiders.

Arthropods, which constitute the majority of animal species, play vital roles in ecosystems such as decomposition, herbivory, and pollination, and serve as vital food sources for birds and other larger animals, according to a statement released Thursday by Australia's Griffith University.

Analyzing data from over 80 untouched tropical forest studies, researchers from Griffith University and the University of Hong Kong in China found significant arthropod biodiversity losses, accompanied by declines in live leaf consumption and instability in dead leaf decomposition.

The study said long-term changes to the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, with more frequent and intense hot, dry El Nino events due to climate change, disrupt the natural balance between El Nino and La Nina stages of the cycle, driving declines in arthropods and their ecological roles.

Species that thrive under La Nina conditions, which are often cooler and wetter, are particularly affected, according to the study published in the journal Nature.

The study excludes human threats like habitat loss, pesticides, and pollution in these untouched forests, identifying climate-driven ENSO changes as the primary cause of arthropod loss.

"The crucial message for Australia is the need to monitor the biodiversity in our rainforests," said co-author Roger Kitching from Griffith University.

The research continues across forest sites in China's Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Australia, and Malaysia to further explore these alarming trends. ■