New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Spider biodiversity and density following cultivation in pastures in the Waikato, New Zealand
R. J. Clark
P. J. Gerard
J. M. Mellsop
AgResearch
Ruakura Research Centre
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand
Abstract The effect of cultivation on spider density and diversity was assessed at three sites before and after cultivation in autumn. Linyphiid spiders dominated the fauna at each site (60-90% of the spiders present) with Eperigone fradeorum (Berland) the most common spider (38% of the spiders collected). At all three sites, the populations of both linyphiid and non-linyphiid spiders decreased significantly after fields were cultivated. Population declines after cultivation did not appear to be related to the intensity of cultivation. This suggests that environmental factors were not an important influence on spider populations, at least in the early part of the experiment. Grazing had a detrimental effect on spider density and diversity. These results suggest that both cultivation and ongoing management can affect spider density and diversity.
Keywords spiders; biodiversity; Linyphiidae; cultivation; grazing
A03039; Received 7 July 2003; accepted 18 February 2004; Online publication date 27 May 2004
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2004, Vol. 47: 247-259
0028-8233/04/4702-0247 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004
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