Functional diversity of epigeal spiders in the olive grove agroecosystem in northeastern Portugal: a comparison between crop and surrounding semi‐natural habitats

Abstract

The olive grove agroecosystem (Olea europaea L., Oleaceae) encompasses a series of relevant economic and cultural activities throughout the Mediterranean basin. Olive trees and groves are considered important repositories of biodiversity (Rouini, 2008), housing many arthropods (Coutinho, 2007). The community of terrestrial arthropods in olive groves is highly diverse and positively influences the maintenance of fundamental ecosystem services, such as pest limitation (Torres, 2007;Santorufo et al., 2012). The larvae and pupae of an important olive pest, the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae), develop in the soil. The larvae drop from the canopy, then bury themselves in the soil, and after development, the teneral adults emerge. During this time in the soil, B. oleae is exposed to predation by ground-dwelling organisms (Picchi et al., 2017). This pool of organisms includes Acari, Chilopoda, Collembola, Dermaptera, Diplopoda, Hemiptera, Isopoda, Malacostraca, Orthoptera, spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) (e.g., Lycosidae and Gnaphosidae), and various families of Coleoptera (e.g., Carabidae, Staphylinidae, and Elateridae), encompassing polyphagous species that are considered potential natural enemies of key olive pests (Santos et al.,