The immigration of spiders (Araneida) into a new polder

Abstract

Abstract. (1) The immigration of spiders into the Lauwerszeepolder (constructed in 1969) was studied during four years in four areas. The spider fauna was sampled weekly and 65 000 specimens of eighty‐four species were caught using strip traps, window traps, simple pitfall traps and fences.(2) About sixty species from all kinds of habitats were caught rarely; nineteen species were caught in numbers that suggest that they had established populations in the study areas.(3) The four successful pioneer species, plus two marsh‐dwelling species, were most abundant during 1969 and 1970. The 1971 catch was dominated by species from saline habitats; they became less abundant in 1972 when species from non‐saline habitats increased. Only halotolerant species established populations.(4) No evidence was found that dispersing spiders select certain areas. The differences between the spider fauna of the differennt study areas arise from degrees of success in colonization by immigrants. Pioneer species are least influenced by the abiotic environment.(5) A greater aeronautic dispersal power is found in species inhabiting unstable habitats than in species from stable habitats.(6) Aeronautic activity in adult linyphiids (s.l.) is not restricted to a special season, but is related to definite phases of the phenology.(7) Male and female erigonids are equally active in aeronautic behaviour. In erigonids and linyphiids intense aeronautic activity coincides with great ground activity; on the ground males are more active than females.

Abundance and species richness of field‐margin and pasture spiders (Araneae) in Canterbury, New Zealand

“…The most common species found in this study, T. tenuis, is also dominant in European fields (Sunderland 1996). The ballooning habit ) of linyphiid spiders probably explains their prevalence in disturbed agro-ecosystems, because this high dispersal ability would allow re-colonisation from distant undisturbed habitat (Meijer 1977;Thomas & Jepson 1997). In contrast, endemic species are more common in the relatively undisturbed field margin.…”

The significance of flood regimes for carabid beetle and spider communities in riparian habitats—a comparison of three major rivers in Germany

“…As small invertebrates with a high number of species and diversity in floodplains, they can distinguish between different environmental habitat factors on a very small scale (Bonn and Kleinwächter, 1999). Furthermore, many are good dispersers, and may quickly colonize pioneer habitats (Meijer, 1977;Duffey, 1978) after inundation on river banks (Bonn, 2000), as well as in wet meadows (Huk, 1997). Therefore, they respond to fluctuating hydrological conditions more quickly than plants, and serve as valuable indicators of environmental conditions in riparian habitats.…”

Habitat Isolation Reduces the Temporal Stability of Island Ecosystems in the Face of Flood Disturbance

“…Riparian carabid beetles and spiders associated with floodplains can distinguish between different environmental factors on a fine scale (Bonn and Kleinwächter, 1999;Bonn et al, 2002). Many riparian carabids, staphylinid beetles, and spiders have also been shown to be good dispersers and can quickly colonise pioneer or recently denuded habitats after a period of inundation (Duffey, 1978;Meijer, 1977;Topp and Ring, 1988). However, despite their greater dispersal ability and potential for re-colonisation, they may fail to re-establish populations due to poor resilience of lower trophic level prey in the face of flooding.…”