Herbicide combinations of paraquat, glyphosate, alachlor, linuron, fluazifopbutyl, aciflurofen, and bentazon were investigated for their impact on soil arthropod population dynamics and surface wheat straw decomposition (weight loss) within a North Carolina coastal plain agroecosystem. Herbicides were applied twice (preemergence and mid-bloom) at recommended field rates to soybeans no-till planted into wheat residue. Separate measurements were made for surface crop residue and soil-dwelling (0–3 cm depth) arthropods. Decomposition of herbicide (glyphosate) and nonherbicide-treated wheat straw residue was compared using mesh bag techniques. Decay rate constants were estimated for glyphosate and nonherbicide-treated wheat straw residue by fitting a two-component model to the data. Comparison of soil microarthropod numbers from herbicide and nonherbicide treatments showed no consistent trend, suggesting that abiotic factors such as soil temperature and moisture were probably more significant than herbicide effects in regulating soil microarthropod number and activity. Herbicides had no effect on soil macroarthropod number or activity until late in the season when macroarthropods were most abundant under weedy, no-tillage conditions. Moist soil and litter, low soil temperature, floral diversity, and high weed-seed availability probably enhanced macroarthropod numbers in nonherbicide treatments. Decomposition (ash-free weight loss) of nonherbicided, surface crop residues was more rapid than herbicide (glyphosate) treated, indicating that herbicide effects occur at the decomposer as well as producer level of agroecosystems.