Assemblage structure and conservation value of spiders and carabid beetles from restored lowland river banks

Abstract

We assessed the composition of spider and carabid beetle assemblages along river banks from the Common Meuse (Belgium) to determine their relationships with local topographical and landscape-related characteristics. Data were gathered with pitfall traps in 1998 and explored by ordination and grouping methods. Our analysis revealed that the presence of xerothermic spider species was limited to scarcely covered, less dynamic gravel banks. Riparian spider species were found on frequently flooded as well as on rather elevated and high gravel banks, while riparian carabid beetles were dominant on all sampled banks. The level of flooding disturbance, the vegetation density and the presence of silt appeared to be the most important environmental determinants of spider and carabid beetle assemblage structure. Consequently, local environmental factors influence species occurrence patterns in a similar way for the two investigated arthropod groups. Nevertheless, distinct ecological groups are differently ordered along the prime environmental gradients. Nature management should therefore consider the conservation, restoration and connectivity of both dynamic and more elevated banks in order to obtain a high degree of local and regional heterogeneity throughout the river system

Ground spider assemblages as indicators for habitat structure in inland sand ecosystems

“…Species distribution was constrained mainly by gradients of either vegetation coverage or habitat openness/dryness, which is in accordance with numerous other studies (Perner and Malt 2003;Beals 2006;Lambeets et al 2007). Especially between dry, open grasslands and more vegetated grasslands and Calluna heaths numerous species showed intergrading, apparently occurring in both habitat types.…”

“…In numerous studies of ecology and biodiversity, spiders have been proven to be a suitable model group (Bonte et al 2004;Lambeets et al 2007Lambeets et al , 2008Lambeets et al , 2009Negro et al 2009). In general, they are abundant, easy to record and inhabit a wide array of spatial and temporal niches (Wise 1993;Juen and Traugott 2004;Langellotto and Denno 2004;Romero and Vasconcellos-Neto 2005;Entling et al 2007).…”

Effects of stream restorations on riparian mesohabitats, vegetation and carabid beetles

“…High abundances of Bembidion ssp. were also observed by Van Looy et al (2005) and Lambeets et al (2008b), widely dispersed along the Common Meuse river banks (Belgium).…”

“…There are few studies lending support to the conjecture that restoration promotes plant richness and diversity (Andersson et al 2000;Baattrup-Pedersen et al 2000;Jähnig et al 2009), carabid species richness (Lambeets et al 2008b;Jähnig et al 2009) and the occurrence of stenotopic carabids (Günther and Assmann 2005). However, as these studies address single or only few reaches they do not allow for a generalization of restoration effects on riparian assemblages.…”

Dél-alföldi pókközösségek szerkezete

“…A lombkorona borításának, a talajszintre jutó fény mennyiségének közvetlen hatását nem mutattam ki, a lombkorona azonban a talajszinten mozaikos mikroklímát hoz létre, befolyásolja az erdő hőmérsékletét, légnedvességét és a talaj nedvességtartalmát természetközeli élőhelyek jelenléte és kapcsolata a hullámtériekkel, mert ezek valószínűleg igen fontos áttelelő helyek (Bonte et al 2003b, Lambeets et al 2008b.…”