›› 2009, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (8): 875-884.

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Biodiversity of ground-dwelling spider in six forest types in Xishuangbanna, S.W. China

ZHENG Guo, YANG X D, LI S Q   

  • Online:2009-09-04 Published:2009-08-20

Abstract: The composition and distribution of ground-dwelling spider were investigated using small plot direct searching method to assess the impact of forest type and habitat management on spider diversity. Six forest types in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, southwestern China were surveyed, i.e., the tropical seasonal rain forest, limestone tropical seasonal rain forest, tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest, artificial forest, rubber-tea community and rubber plantation. A total of 18 plots (three repetitions for each forest type) were surveyed during three field trips in December 2006, March and July 2007. The relationships between forest type and spider diversity were explored using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). A total of 9 849 individual spiders were collected from various habitats, of which 3 119 are identifiable adults representing 30 families. The most abundant families of ground-dwelling spider are Pholcidae, Linyphiidae, Theridiidae and Mysmenidae (62.2% of total species counts). Of the six forest types, 24 families were collected from the tropical seasonal rain forest including two endemic families; 22 families were collected from the limestone tropical seasonal rain forest; 22 families were collected from the tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest including two endemic families; 20 families were collected from the artificial forest; 21 families were collected from the rubber-tea community; and 19 families were collected from the rubber plantation including one endemic family. There are four families (13.3% of the total 30 families recorded) endemic to two types of rain forest, six families (20.0%) endemic to three types of natural forest, and one family (3.3%) endemic to plantations. Abundance of ground-dwelling spider in the tropical seasonal rain forest is significant higher than the remaining five types of forest. Shannon-Wiener (H′) index and Margalef index (Dmg) in the rubber plantation are significant lower than the three types of natural forest, and Pielou index (J) is also the lowest in the rubber plantation. The results of CCA and cluster analysis indicated that natural forests and plantations are well differentiated. In the group of natural forests, the tropical seasonal rain forest plots are well separated from two types of secondary forest plots. In the other group, the rubber plantation plots are well separated from the artificial forest and the rubber-tea community plots. The results suggested that: (1) human-management has an strong impact on ground-dwelling spider composition; (2) spider diversity decreases along with the increase of anthropogenic disturbance; and (3) reducing anthropogenic disturbance and increasing plant community diversity (e.g., plant tea tree in rubber plantation) is a meaningful way to conserve and restore biodiversity.

Key words: Ground-dwelling spider, species richness, tropical rain forest, plantation, forest simplification, anthropogenic disturbance