Small-scale spatial pattern of web-building spiders (Araneae) in alfalfa: Relationship to disturbance from cutting, prey availability, and intraguild interactions
(2007) In Environmental Entomology 36(4). p.801-810- Abstract
- Understanding the development of spatial patterns in generalist predators will improve our ability to incorporate them into biological control programs. We studied the small-scale spatial patterns of spider webs in alfalfa by analyzing the relationship between web locations over distances ranging from 4 to 66 cm. Using a coordinate-based spatial statistic (O-ring) and assuming a heterogeneous distribution of suitable web sites, we analyzed the impact of cutting and changes in spider abundance on web distribution. We analyzed the influence of small-scale variation in prey availability by comparing web distributions to the pattern of sticky-trap captures of Aphididae and Diptera described by a count-based spatial statistic (SADIE). Cutting... (More)
- Understanding the development of spatial patterns in generalist predators will improve our ability to incorporate them into biological control programs. We studied the small-scale spatial patterns of spider webs in alfalfa by analyzing the relationship between web locations over distances ranging from 4 to 66 cm. Using a coordinate-based spatial statistic (O-ring) and assuming a heterogeneous distribution of suitable web sites, we analyzed the impact of cutting and changes in spider abundance on web distribution. We analyzed the influence of small-scale variation in prey availability by comparing web distributions to the pattern of sticky-trap captures of Aphididae and Diptera described by a count-based spatial statistic (SADIE). Cutting of alfalfa reduced the overall density of web-building spiders but had no immediate impact on the spatial distribution of their webs. Availability of aphids was highest before the alfalfa was cut and was clumped at a scale of 66 cm. Spider webs, however, were not clumped at any scale or date. In contrast, webs were regularly distributed at smaller distances (<20 cm) immediately before and after cutting. Because cursorial and web-building spiders were most active during this period, we hypothesize that the development of small-scale regularity in web locations was driven by intraguild interactions. Our results suggest that intraguild interactions contribute to the development of small-scale spatial patterns of spider webs in alfalfa. Variation in prey availability may have more of an influence on web distribution in crops with a different vegetation structure or if patterns are studied at larger spatial scales. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2440514
- author
- Birkhofer, Klaus LU ; Scheu, Stefan and Wise, David H.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2007
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- predator-prey association, biological control, generalist predators
- in
- Environmental Entomology
- volume
- 36
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 801 - 810
- publisher
- Oxford University Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:34548186414
- ISSN
- 1938-2936
- DOI
- 10.1603/0046-225X(2007)36[801:SSPOWS]2.0.CO;2
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2c84b97e-a5f7-479d-9054-9601946a3e8e (old id 2440514)
- alternative location
- http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-34548186414&partnerID=40&md5=e05e20fe19334b91fba4457fe4e1dca8
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:52:39
- date last changed
- 2022-01-26 19:31:42
@article{2c84b97e-a5f7-479d-9054-9601946a3e8e,
abstract = {{Understanding the development of spatial patterns in generalist predators will improve our ability to incorporate them into biological control programs. We studied the small-scale spatial patterns of spider webs in alfalfa by analyzing the relationship between web locations over distances ranging from 4 to 66 cm. Using a coordinate-based spatial statistic (O-ring) and assuming a heterogeneous distribution of suitable web sites, we analyzed the impact of cutting and changes in spider abundance on web distribution. We analyzed the influence of small-scale variation in prey availability by comparing web distributions to the pattern of sticky-trap captures of Aphididae and Diptera described by a count-based spatial statistic (SADIE). Cutting of alfalfa reduced the overall density of web-building spiders but had no immediate impact on the spatial distribution of their webs. Availability of aphids was highest before the alfalfa was cut and was clumped at a scale of 66 cm. Spider webs, however, were not clumped at any scale or date. In contrast, webs were regularly distributed at smaller distances (<20 cm) immediately before and after cutting. Because cursorial and web-building spiders were most active during this period, we hypothesize that the development of small-scale regularity in web locations was driven by intraguild interactions. Our results suggest that intraguild interactions contribute to the development of small-scale spatial patterns of spider webs in alfalfa. Variation in prey availability may have more of an influence on web distribution in crops with a different vegetation structure or if patterns are studied at larger spatial scales.}},
author = {{Birkhofer, Klaus and Scheu, Stefan and Wise, David H.}},
issn = {{1938-2936}},
keywords = {{predator-prey association; biological control; generalist predators}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{801--810}},
publisher = {{Oxford University Press}},
series = {{Environmental Entomology}},
title = {{Small-scale spatial pattern of web-building spiders (Araneae) in alfalfa: Relationship to disturbance from cutting, prey availability, and intraguild interactions}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X(2007)36[801:SSPOWS]2.0.CO;2}},
doi = {{10.1603/0046-225X(2007)36[801:SSPOWS]2.0.CO;2}},
volume = {{36}},
year = {{2007}},
}