Electronic Library of Scientific Literature



EKOLÓGIA



Volume 19 / Suppl. 4 / 2000


 


Seasonal and diurnal migration patterns of the spider (Araneae) fauna of coastal grey dunes

Dries Bonte, Jean-Pierre Maelfait, Maurice Hoffmann
University Ghent, Dep. Biology, Lab of Animal Ecology, Zoogeography and Nature Conservation, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. E-mail: dries.bonte@rug.ac.be; jeanpierre.maelfait@rug.ac.be
Institute of Nature Conservation, Kliniekstraat 25, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium.
University Ghent, Department of Biology, Laboratory of Plant Ecology, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.

Bonte D., Maelfait J.-P., Hoffmann M.: Seasonal and diurnal migration patterns of the spider (Araneae) fauna of coastal grey dunes. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 5-16.

The study of the grey dune species’ phenology patterns revealed interesting data on the occupation of this xerotherm habitat by several spider species groups. Apparently stenotopic erigonid species are totally absent during the summer months. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is the lack of suitable prey (Collembola). Larger species of the Gnaphosidae, Thomisidae, Salticidae, Lycosidae and Araneidae are present during the summer. Of these Haplodrassus dalmatensis is characterised by clear seasonal migration from the litter border zone, where the juvenile development takes place, to the open grey dune as reproduction habitat. The smaller stenotopic erigonid species (Typhochrestus digitatus, Pelecopsis nemoralis) do not show a clear seasonal but instead a diurnal migration between these two habitats in their adult phase.

 


Preliminary results on the arachnofauna (Araneae) of the Nature Reserve ”Oasis of Simeto”

Francesca Di Franco, Francesco Lovetere
Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Catania University - Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy. Fax: +3995327990. E-mail: francesca_dfr@hotmail.com.

Di Franco F., Lovetere F.: Preliminary results on the arachnofauna (Araneae) of the Nature Reserve ”Oasis of Simeto”. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 17-22.

 


Spiders (Araneae) on the Red Lists of European countries

Valerián FRANC
Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, SK-97401 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. Fax: +421 88 4138643

Franc V.: Spiders (Araneae) on the Red Lists of European countries. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 23-28.

Spiders rank among the less popular groups of animals and this is reflected in Red Lists of rare and threatened animals throughout the countries of Europe. They are absent in approximately 2/3 of European Red Lists. On the other hand, wingless spiders often have a very high bioindicative value, because they are usually more strongly tied to a biotope than flying insects. This paper includes a comparison of the ecosozological positions of spiders in several European countries and a proposal for a scheme to assess the extent to which they are endangered.

 


Changes in the spider (Araneae) fauna along a heathland-marsh transect in Denmark

Peter Gajdoš, Soren Toft
Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Akademicka 2,SK-94901 Nitra, Slovak Republic. E-mail: nrkugajd@savba.sk
Department of Zoology, University of Aarhus, Bldg. 135, DK-8000 Arhus C, Denmark.

Gajdoš P., Toft S.: Changes in the spider (Araneae) fauna along a heathland-marsh transect in Denmark. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 29-38.

Pitfall traps were operated through a full year in nine habitats along a 200 m transect covering a variety of heathland and wetland vegetation types (Calluna, Erica, Empetrum, Molinia, Myrica, Salix, Carex, Phragmites). Principal Component Analysis and similarity indices distinguished two groups of spider communities, a heathland and a marsh community. Surprisingly, the fauna of the Molinia meadow belonged to the heathland type, in spite of higher habitat similarity with marshes. Neither vegetation structure, soil moisture or proximity in the habitat mosaic could explain the pattern of spider species composition.

 


Spiders (Araneae) and other invertebrate groups as ecological indicators in wetland areas

Ejgil Gravesen
Department of Zoology, University of Ĺrhus, Denmark. E-mail: Ejgil.Gravesen@mail.tele.dk

Gravesen E.: Spiders (Araneae) and other invertebrate groups as ecological indicators in wetland areas. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 39-42.

 


Spider (Araneae) protection measures and the required level of knowledge

Peter J. van Helsdingen
National Museum of Natural History, Darwinweg 2, NL-2333 CR Leiden, Netherlands. E-mail: helsdingen@naturalis.nnm.nl

van Helsdingen P.J.: Spider (Araneae) protection measures and the required level of knowledge. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 43-50.

Nature conservation is an activity of national governments and private societies. Invertebrates have been largely neglected. On the international European level the Bern Convention and the Habitats Directive include some invertebrate species. The number of invertebrate species needs to be increased. For the useful selection of species one needs to have access to databases on distribution and habitats. The available catalogues and national or regional checklists for spiders, in print or on the internet, are listed. A more centralized organization is proposed, in order to profit successfully from the current growing interest in the protection of invertebrates and their habitats.

 


Spiders (Araneae) of the fishpond eulittoral zone

Michal Holec
University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Na sádkách 7, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Soil Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na sádkách 7, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic. E-mail: mh@tix.bf.jcu.cz

Holec M.: Spiders (Araneae) of the fishpond eulittoral zone. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 51-54.

A study was made of spiders living in vegetation (Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia and Carex) of the eulittoral zone of ponds in the Czech Republic. Specimens were collected from floating pitfall traps, by beating vegetation and by hand collection. In total, 38 spider species were recorded, and ten of these are considered to be specialised inhabitants of the eulittoral zone. The spider assemblage of tall sedge vegetation exhibited the highest abundance and species diversity.

 


Long term changes in spider (Araneae) communities in natural and drained fens in the Biebrza river Valley

Anna Kajak, Janusz Kupryjanowicz, Peter Petrov
Institute of Ecology PAS, 05-092 Łomianki, Poland. E-mail: ekolog@warman.com.pl
University in Bialystok, Institute of Biology, Swierkowa 20B, 15-950 Bialystok, Poland. E-mail: kuprzool@cksr.ac.bialystok.pl

Kajak A., Kupryjanowicz J., Petrov P.: Long term changes in spider (Araneae) communities in natural and drained fens in the Biebrza River Valley. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 55-64.

The density and diversity of spiders were compared in three periods: I – 1955, II – 1978-1983, III- 1996-1998. The quadrat method was applied to estimate the density of spiders, and the Shannon-Wiener index was used to calculate species diversity. A decrease in spider species diversity, through time, was detected in managed grasslands. It was accompanied by a decrease in the number of families. This tendency was not found in natural fens. Spider density was similar in the compared periods. In period III, spider diversity and total density were positively correlated with soil moisture, abundance of microhabitats in an area and landscape heterogeneity, measured by the distance to shrubs. A negative correlation was found between the density of spiders and the intensity of management practice (mowing by heavy machines and grazing by cattle), and the bulk density of the soil. Plant diversity (H‘ based on the proportion of the area covered by each plant species) did not influence the diversity of spiders. The proportion of species connected exclusively with the field layer decreased with time. The effect of management on spider mobility was positive.

 


Harvestmen and spiders in the Austrian wetland ”Hörfeld-Moor” (Arachnida: Opiliones, Araneae)

Christian Komposch
Ökoteam - Institute of Faunistics and Animal Ecology, Bergmanngasse 22, 8010 Graz, Austria.

Komposch C.: Harvestmen and spiders in the Austrian wetland ”Hörfeld-Moor” (Arachnida: Opiliones, Araneae). In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 65-77.

Aspects of the fauna of the montane wetland “Hörfeld-Moor” were investigated with regard to taking an inventory of the nature reserve and determining its conservation value. The harvestmen and spider fauna was studied by means of pitfall traps, light-traps, soil-sifter and hand-collecting in nine sample areas representing typical biotope types within the wetland: alder forest, willow shrub, hay meadow, moist meadow, sedge swamp, reed bed, meadowsweet fen, floating mat and raised bog. The following noteworthy arachnids were found: Nemastoma schuelleri, Opilio dinaricus, Platybunus pinetorum, Enoplognatha caricis, Diplocephalus helleri, Drepanotylus uncatus, Maro lepidus, Pardosa fulvipes, Pirata tenuitarsis, Clubiona germanica and Gnaphosa nigerrima. 19 of the spider species found are new to Carinthia. An interesting result is the attractiveness of light-traps for particular harvestmen and spider species.
The percentage of endangered arachnid species was not related to either the diversity and evenness indices of the investigated biotope types or with the percentage of endangered plant species. Furthermore, the present analysis is a useful approach for applying zoological results obtained in particular places to an entire area.

 


Spiders (Araneae) on sandy islands in the southwestern archipelago of Finland

Seppo KOPONEN
Zoological Museum, University of Turku, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland. E-mail: sepkopo@utu.fi

Koponen S.: Spiders (Araneae) on sandy islands in the southwestern archipelago of Finland. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 79-85.

Spiders were studied on two sandy islands in the outermost part of the SW archipelago of Finland: Korppoo Jurmo (59°50’N, 21°37’E) and Dragsfjärd Örö (59°50’N, 22°20’E). The main collecting method was pitfall trapping. Typical, and often locally abundant, species on sandy and/or gravel shores were e.g. Arctosa cinerea, Alopecosa fabrilis, Pardosa agricola, Xerolycosa miniata, Zelotes longipes, Z. praeficus, Callilepis nocturna, Lasiargus hirsutus, Trichoncus hackmani, Microlinyphia impigra, Steatoda albomaculata, Philodromus fallax, Phlegra fasciata and Sitticus saltator. On dry heath meadows the following species, in addition to many of the above-mentioned spiders, were typically caught: Zelotes electus, Alopecosa cuneata, Pardosa agrestis, P. palustris, Trichopterna cito and Lepthyphantes decolor. The material included three species listed in the Finnish Red Data Book, all in need of monitoring, i.e. Zelotes electus (abundant), Metapanamomops kaestneri (locally abundant) and Acartauchenius scurrilis. Also many other rare species, like Jacksonella falconeri, Argenna subnigra and Pseudicius encarpatus, were found.

 


Fauna of soil-dwelling predatory Gamasina mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in seashore habitats of the Kurzeme Coast, Latvia

Ineta Salmane
Institute of Biology, University of Latvia, Miera iela 3, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia. Fax: 371-9-345 412. E-mail: ineta_s@hotmail.com

Salmane I.: Fauna of soil-dwelling predatory Gamasina mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in seashore habitats of the Kurzeme Coast, Latvia. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 87-96.

Because of the lack of data on the Gamasina mite fauna in coastal habitats of Latvia, sampling was made on the seashore of the Kurzeme Coast. An unexpectedly high total number (78) of Gamasina species was recorded. Twenty-three species were found to be new for Latvia. A previously undescribed species (new to Science) from the genus Lasioseius was recorded from the yellow dunes. Leioseius bicolor, Leioseius halophilus and Parasitus halophilus were recorded as the most widely distributed Gamasina species along the Kurzeme Coast.
Driftline, primary and yellow dune Gamasina faunas were investigated separately. Fourteen Gamasina species were found to be common to all three habitats. Driftline habitats were the most diverse with 55 species. Twenty-two species were recorded from the primary dunes and 50 species from the yellow dunes.
Comparison of Gamasina fauna along the coasts of the Baltic Sea and the Riga Gulf of the Kurzeme was made. Fifty species from coastal habitats of the Riga Gulf Coast and 55 from the Baltic Sea Coast were recorded. Twenty-seven Gamasina species were recorded as common for both sites, but 24 species for the Riga Gulf Coast and 29 for the Baltic Sea Coast were unique for their respective habitats.

 


Spiders (Araneae) of the peatbog National Nature reserve Švihrovské rašelinisko (Slovakia)

Jaroslav Svatoň, Roman Prídavka
Kernova 8, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia.
Novákova 5, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia

Svatoň J., Prídavka R.: Spiders (Araneae) of the peatbog National Nature Reserve Švihrovské rašelinisko (Slovakia). In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 97-104.

 


Data on the Biology of Larinia jeskovi Marusik, 1986 (Araneae: Araneidae) from the Reed Belts of Lake Balaton

Csaba Szinetár
Department of Zoology Berzsenyi College, H-9701 Szombathely, Károlyi Gáspár tér 4. Hungary. E-mail: szcsaba@fs2.bdtf.hu

Szinetár C.: Data on the biology of Larinia jeskovi Marusik, 1986 (Araneae: Araneidae) from the reed belts of Lake Balaton. In Gajdoš P., Pekár S. (eds): Proceedings of the 18th European Colloquium of Arachnology, Stará Lesná, 1999. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 19, Supplement 4/2000, p. 105-110.

Observations were made of Larinia jeskovi Marusik, 1986 in Hungary (Balatongyörök, UTM XM87). The study describes the habitat, activity and phenological characteristics of this rare orb web spider observed in the reed belts of Lake Balaton.