Underestimated spider diversity in a temperate beech forest |
| |
Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Yu-Lung?HsiehEmail author Karl?Eduard?Linsenmair |
| |
Institution: | 1.Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology,Universit?t Würzburg,Würzburg,Germany |
| |
Abstract: | We used canopy fogging to study the high (20–26 m), intermediate (13–19 m) and low (5–6 m) strata in three European beech
patches (Fagus sylvatica) in nine months (2005–2007) and estimate species richness and diversity of arboreal spiders. Eight species (10%) were previously
unseen in European beech trees, and one of these is likely a new species. Moreover, two species are on the Bavarian red list.
Our results revealed that the high stratum of the old-growth trees provided unique resources and possessed the greatest diversity
and evenness, whereas intermediate and low strata had high similarity in respect to diversity, dominance, species, and family
composition. Since the majority of beech forests consists of mature and young trees in Central Europe, and old-growth forests
are rarely preserved, we recommend young beech be used in a sampling protocol for rapid biodiversity assessment. However,
adding samples from the two higher strata to the lowest stratum (55 species), almost doubled the estimated species richness
(102 species). This suggests that the lower stratum alone does not represent a true image of the total canopy fauna inventory
in this, and likely other, beech stands. To complete this comprehensive inventory in European beeches, the Chao1 predicted
that additional sampling would be needed in the highest stratum, where there is a high probability to find previously undetected
species in a next survey. Our study clearly shows that neglecting the crowns of the largest, tallest trees risks underestimating
the overall spider diversity in Central European forests. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|