Simulated Shrub Encroachment Impacts Function of Arctic Spider Communities
The projected increase of shrubs across the Arctic is expected to alter patterns of snow cover, which may affect the phenology and survival of arthropods such as spiders. In this study, we simulated shrub encroachment on a series of tundra plots and examined the effects on the spider assemblages dur...
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ndltd-TORONTO-oai-tspace.library.utoronto.ca-1807-313022013-04-19T20:01:45ZSimulated Shrub Encroachment Impacts Function of Arctic Spider CommunitiesLegault, GeoffreyspidersArcticshrub encroachmentecosystem functioningarthropodsphenologysnow coversnow fencesoverwintering0329The projected increase of shrubs across the Arctic is expected to alter patterns of snow cover, which may affect the phenology and survival of arthropods such as spiders. In this study, we simulated shrub encroachment on a series of tundra plots and examined the effects on the spider assemblages during the following growing season. Our simulated shrub treatment did not affect the abundance or composition of spider communities over the season; however, adults from the dominant genus Pardosa (Lycosidae) had significantly higher body mass on treatment plots. This difference in mass was observed following snow melt and persisted until halfway through the growing season. Given the importance of spiders as arthropod predators and as food sources for breeding birds, such a change in summer body mass could represent a shift in spiders’ functional contributions to Arctic ecosystems.Weis, Arthur2011-112011-12-14T15:40:27ZNO_RESTRICTION2011-12-14T15:40:27Z2011-12-14Thesishttp://hdl.handle.net/1807/31302en_ca |
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en_ca |
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spiders Arctic shrub encroachment ecosystem functioning arthropods phenology snow cover snow fences overwintering 0329 |
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spiders Arctic shrub encroachment ecosystem functioning arthropods phenology snow cover snow fences overwintering 0329 Legault, Geoffrey Simulated Shrub Encroachment Impacts Function of Arctic Spider Communities |
description |
The projected increase of shrubs across the Arctic is expected to alter patterns of snow cover, which may affect the phenology and survival of arthropods such as spiders. In this study, we simulated shrub encroachment on a series of tundra plots and examined the effects on the spider assemblages during the following growing season. Our simulated shrub treatment did not affect the abundance or composition of spider communities over the season; however, adults from the dominant genus Pardosa (Lycosidae) had significantly higher body mass on treatment plots. This difference in mass was observed following snow melt and persisted until halfway through the growing season. Given the importance of spiders as arthropod predators and as food sources for breeding birds, such a change in summer body mass could represent a shift in spiders’ functional contributions to Arctic ecosystems. |
author2 |
Weis, Arthur |
author_facet |
Weis, Arthur Legault, Geoffrey |
author |
Legault, Geoffrey |
author_sort |
Legault, Geoffrey |
title |
Simulated Shrub Encroachment Impacts Function of Arctic Spider Communities |
title_short |
Simulated Shrub Encroachment Impacts Function of Arctic Spider Communities |
title_full |
Simulated Shrub Encroachment Impacts Function of Arctic Spider Communities |
title_fullStr |
Simulated Shrub Encroachment Impacts Function of Arctic Spider Communities |
title_full_unstemmed |
Simulated Shrub Encroachment Impacts Function of Arctic Spider Communities |
title_sort |
simulated shrub encroachment impacts function of arctic spider communities |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1807/31302 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT legaultgeoffrey simulatedshrubencroachmentimpactsfunctionofarcticspidercommunities |
_version_ |
1716582510648885248 |