Winter-Active Spider Fauna is Affected by Plantation Forest Type

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Arthropod Biology
• Forestry

Background:

• Non-native tree plantations are widespread in Europe, impacting arthropod fauna by altering microclimates and reducing habitat diversity.
• The influence of plantation tree species on winter-active fauna, particularly spiders, remains understudied.
• Spider communities are sensitive indicators of habitat structure changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of non-native versus native plantation tree species on winter-active spider communities.
• To assess the role of microclimatic conditions and habitat structure in shaping these spider communities.

Main Methods:

• Established 40 sampling sites across five non-native pine and five native poplar plantations in Southern Hungary.
• Collected spiders using pitfall traps over two winter seasons.
• Characterized habitat structure by measuring vegetation height and percentage cover of leaf litter, mosses, herbaceous vegetation, and shrubs.

Main Results:

• Higher species richness and activity density of spiders were observed in non-native pine plantations compared to native poplar plantations.
• Microclimatic differences between pine and poplar plantations are suggested as the primary driver, not habitat structure.
• Significant differences in spider species composition were found between non-native and native plantations, with distinct characteristic species identified for each.

Conclusions:

• Microclimatic conditions and prey availability appear to be more influential than habitat structure on winter-active spider communities in these plantations.
• Non-native pine plantations create distinct habitats supporting different spider assemblages compared to native poplar plantations.
• The study highlights the ecological consequences of plantation choices on specific faunal groups during winter.