For over three decades, the importance of taxon sampling curves for comparative biodiversity studies has been repeatedly stated. However, many entomologists (both within Canada and worldwide) continue to publish studies without standardizing their data to take sampling effort into account. We present a case study to illustrate the importance of such standardization, using the collection of spiders (Araneae) by pitfall traps as model data. Data were analyzed using rarefaction to represent one example of a taxon sampling curve, and by a variety of traditional diversity indices to describe alpha diversity. Raw species richness and single-index diversity measures (Shannon–Wiener, Simpson's, and Fisher's α) provided contradictory results. Rarefied species richness standardized to the number of individuals collected enabled more accurate comparisons of diversity and revealed when sampling was insufficient. Focusing on arthropods occurring in forested ecosystems, we also examined the use of taxon sampling curves in current literature by reviewing 133 published articles from 14 journals. Only 26% of the published articles in our review used a taxon sampling curve, and raw species richness and the Shannon–Wiener index of diversity were the most commonly used estimates. There is clearly a need to modify how alpha diversity is measured and compared for arthropod biodiversity studies. We recommend the abandonment of both raw species richness and single-index measures of diversity, and reiterate the need to use rarefaction or a related technique that allows for meaningful comparisons of species richness while taking into account sampling effort.

Downed woody material (fallen logs) offers ground-dwelling spiders (Araneae) ideal sites for nesting and foraging, but little is known about what characteristics of dead wood influence spider assemblages. In a maple forest of Forillon National Park, in eastern Que´bec (Canada), spider assemblages on, adjacent to, and away from fallen logs were compared. We also tested how log type (coniferous vs. deciduous) and decomposition stage influenced spider assemblages. Sampling was done for an intensive four-week period using both litter samples and pitfall traps. A total of 5613 spiders representing 83 species from 16 families was collected. Spiders were affected by the presence of logs, as both species diversity and total number of individuals collected were significantly higher on the log surface compared to the forest floor. Ordination analysis revealed a distinct compositional difference between the spider fauna found on the wood surface compared to the forest floor. Wood type and decomposition stage had few significant effects on spider assemblages, except that less decayed logs supported higher spider diversity than logs in advanced stages of decay. Dead wood is clearly important for generalist predators such as spiders, further supporting the conservation importance of fallen logs in northern forest ecosystems.

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