DIVERSITY OF GROUND DWELLING SPIDERS IN SOUTH WAYANAD FOREST DIVISION
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Date
2018
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES, POOKODE WAYANAD
Abstract
Ground dwelling spider species composition, diversity, abundance and
environmental factors influencing it were studied in three habitats of South
Wayanad Forest Division from April 2018 to June 2018. Spider species
abundance and diversity was estimated using plot method of size 5m2
, a total of
60 quadrats were laid in all three habitat types, photographs of spiders were taken
for identification. A total of 54 species belonging to 19 families were recorded.
Among different spider species recorded, five species were endemic to Western
Ghats and six species endemic to South Asia. The majority of the spiders were
belonging to Salticidae, Lycosidae and Oxyopidae. Certain species of spiders
were more abundant such as Hasarius adansoni, Polyboea zonaformis, Hippasa
agelenoides, Tibellus elongates and Ctenus cochinensis.
Spider species diversity, richness and abundance varied among habitats
with higher diversity in the Semi-evergreen forest followed by Moist deciduous
and plantation. Dominance was higher in the MDF and plantations with a few
species dominating these regions.
The environmental factors such as canopy cover, litter cover, litter depth,
grass cover, soil temperature and humidity that influence species abundance were
investigated using multiple regression. Among different factors, variables such as
soil temperature, humidity and litter depth had significant influence on the species
abundance that explained 92% of variability (R2=0.917; F=11; df=3; p<0.05).
Among these variables humidity had primary influence followed by soil
temperature and litter depth.
Spider species forage guild composition showed that they occupy eight
different forage guilds, the majority of spiders 81.6% of spiders were Stalkers,
Ground runners and Ambushers. The number of foraging guilds varied with
higher guilds in the MDF and plantation. Thus present study on spiders provided
baseline information on spiders in the South Wayanad Forest Division and
influence of environmental factors on spider abundance that is essential for the
management.
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