Abstract

RETA-HEREDIA, Indira et al. Diversity of spiders in forest ecosystems as elevation and disturbance indicators. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2018, vol.9, n.50, pp.251-273. ISSN 2007-1132.  https://doi.org/10.29298/rmcf.v9i50.225.

Spiders are ideal predators for studies of environmental variation and disturbance due to their small size and ease of collection. In two major mountains of northeastern Mexico: Cerro El Potosí (in Southern Nuevo León) and Peña Nevada (in Southern Tamaulipas), 45 spider communities were studied. Human activity, vegetation type, disturbance, livestock, and land degradation were measured. As a hypothesis, it was anticipated finding low spider diversity in highly degraded sites. 541 individuals from 23 families were found. The most abundant families were Lycosidae, Anyphaenidae and Gnaphosidae. Spider species distribution was highly associated with presence of leaf-litter. Spider diversity was unrelated to elevation or disturbance. Pardosa sp. was the most abundant and dominant at well-preserved sites. Lycosidae, Thomisidae and Pholcidae were more abundant in areas with greater human intervention. This study in two important forest zones in northeastern Mexico will be a guide for future research on biodiversity on forest ecosystems and influence of environmental variation and disturbance.

Keywords : Spiders; biodiversity; mountain ecosystems; ecological gradient; Lycosidae; Pardosa sp.

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