The ecological effects of burning, mowing, and plowing on ground-inhabiting spiders (Araneae) in an old-field ecosystem

• Published in: The Journal of arachnology Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 1 - 13
• Main Authors: Haskins, M.F, Shaddy, J.H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Arachnological Society 01-01-1986
• Subjects: ARAIGNEE; ARANAS; Araneae; COMBUSTION; CORTE; COUPE; CUTTING; DENSIDAD DE LA POBLACION; DENSITE DE POPULATION; DINAMICA DE LA POBLACION; DYNAMIQUE DES POPULATIONS; Ecological succession; ECOSISTEMA; ECOSYSTEME; ECOSYSTEMS; Fire ecology; HABITAT; HABITATS; MISSOURI; Mowing; Plants; Plowing; POPULATION DENSITY; POPULATION DYNAMICS; Species diversity; SPIDERS; Vegetation; Wildlife habitats; USA, Missouri
• ISSN: 0161-8202; 1937-2396

Cursorial spiders were studied in northeast Missouri from April-November 1980 in annually manipulated old-fields, in fields undergoing succession from manipulations, and a control field. Manipulations included burning, mowing, and plowing. Eleven cursorial families were collected in the study. Pitfall traps were used as the collecting device. Spider communities were compared using Bray-Curtis similarity indices. Seasonal and monthly spider and plant diversities were calculated using the Shannon Index. Spider diversity was correlated with plant diversity during May. The relative abundance of five spider species was correlated with the importance value of several plant species.