Abstract
Spiders have considerable potential importance for their role as predators to some pests in agricultural systems. The composition of spiders in transgenic and conventional cotton at the Research Station of INTA Reconquista (Santa Fe) was studied during the 2005-2006 season. The experiment was a complete randomized block design with three replications and three treatments: transgenic Bt cotton (ALBt), conventional cotton without chemical control (ALCSC), and conventional cotton with chemical control (ALCCC). Weekly, spiders were collected using nets, vertical cloth and pitfall-traps. A total of 1255 specimens (16 families, and 32 species) were collected. Seven families were found in all the treatments, mainly Thomisidae (n=1 51, 84.04%) and Araneidae (n=83, 6.64%). The Hunting spiders guild ambushers (n=1053, 83.91%), "Orb weavers" (n=85, 6.77%) and "Stalkers" (n=53, 4.22%) were more abundant. There were no significant differences in the indexes diversity between treatments. Spiders were presented during the whole crop season, with peaks about flowering and boll maturity, with the highest abundance in ALBt. This work is part of the first set of data registered in Argentina about spider's community in cotton crops.
Highlights
Arachnofauna (Araneae: Araneae) in transgenic and conventional cotton crops (Gossypium hirsutum) in the North of Santa Fe, Argentina
There were no significant differences in the indexes diversity between treatments
Composition, abundance and specific richness total of spider families associated in cotton crops by guild (Santa Fe, Argentina)
Summary
Área de estudio: El trabajo se llevó a cabo durante la campaña de algodón 20052006 (noviembre a abril) en el campo de la Estación Experimental Agropecuaria de INTA Reconquista (29°11’ S - 59°52’ W), provincia de Santa Fe. De tal manera que en total se identificaron familias (que incluye juveniles y adultos) capturadas en los tres tratamientos, una de las cuales, Actinopodidae, pertenece al suborden. En los tres tratamientos la familia más abundante fue Thomisidae (1 051 individuos; 83.74% del total de arañas recolectadas), seguida por Araneidae (83 individuos; 6.64%), Salticidae (34 individuos; 2.72%), Lycosidae (21 individuos; 1.68%), Oxyopidae (19 individuos; 1.52%), Corinnidae (10 individuos; 0.8%) y Theridiidae (9 individuos; 0.72%). Composición de gremios: Las familias recolectadas en los tres tratamientos, en donde se toma en cuenta el total de arañas capturadas entre juveniles y adultos, se agruparon en ocho gremios (Cuadro 2). Composición, abundancia y riqueza específica total de las familias de arañas asociadas al cultivo de algodón, agrupadas por gremios (Santa Fe, Argentina). Composition, abundance and specific richness total of spider families associated in cotton crops by guild (Santa Fe, Argentina)
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