Abstract

VANEGAS, SILVIA; FAGUA, GIOVANNY  and  FLOREZ, EDUARDO. Vertical Distribution of Spiders Associated to Quercus humboldtii and Clusia spp. at Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora Iguaque, Colombia. Acta biol.Colomb. [online]. 2012, vol.17, n.3, pp.635-656. ISSN 0120-548X.

The vertical distribution of spiders associated to trees of Quercus humboldtii and Clusia spp. with different architectural model, was studied at Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora of Iguaque; for this, we selected trees of each architectural model, stratified them each three m in high starting at the base to the canopy of the tree. We took samples in each stratus for 20 min during the day and at night. Also, we took samples in the nearest ground plot (4 m²). We collected 1,261 specimens of 104 morphospecies and 20 families. The most frequent families were Theridiidae, Salticidae, Araneidae, Linyphiidae, Anyphaenidae, and Theridiosomatidae. We observed differences in the spiders' vertical distribution in abundance, richness, composition, time period, and sex ratio, all of them attributable to plant architectures and its stratification. Clusia spider community was the most diverse, Quercus spider community was the riechest. Rain, period of time at day, and support availability affected the spiders' composition.

Keywords : Araneae; arachnida; mountain forest; plant architectural model; seasonality; stratification; plant animal interaction.

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