Biodiversity and community structure of ground-dwelling spiders in four different field margin types of agricultural landscapes in Korea

Abstract

This study was conducted to define diversity and community structure of ground-dwelling spider species in agricultural field margins and to propose potential biological indicator species or groups by focusing on dominant groups for comparison of biodiversity among habitats. The study was conducted in Paltan-myun, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Ground-dwelling spiders were collected by pitfall traps from November 2000 to October 2003 in four agricultural field margin types (levee, dike, hillock and streamside). The biodiversity of spider species was higher in the levee and dike than in the hillock and streamside. A similar trend was shown in the biodiversity of dominant spider species. Habitat types were well separated according to overall spider species as well as dominant spider species. The hillock was distinctive from the other habitat types. Linyphiidae, Lycosidae and Theridiidae, the dominant spider families in the study sites, distinguished the hillock from other habitat types but failed to do so in the other habitat types. The dominant ground-dwelling spider species appear to have considerable potential as biological indicators for rapid biodiversity assessment and habitat discrimination.