Effects of immission load on spiders living on black pine

Abstract

The effects of immission load on spiders living on black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) were studied in a town in Western Hungary. In three sampling periods, trunk-trap catches of spiders from black pine trees planted in a control urban area were compared with those from black pines planted in an area with high immission load. In the first two sampling periods – when apart from the exclusive dwellers on or under bark of the black pine, foliage-dwelling spiders overwintering under the bark (facultative bark-dwellers) could also be trapped – the species richness and the Shannon diversity were significantly higher in the control area than in the area highly affected by immission. In these sampling periods, the composition of spider assemblages also significantly differed in the studied areas. In the third sampling period – when only the exclusive bark-dwellers could be trapped because facultative bark-dwelling spiders returned to the foliage after the overwintering – the species richness, Shannon diversity and the composition of spider assemblages were similar in the differently affected areas. Our results suggest that spiders living exclusively on or under the bark are not significantly influenced by immission load, while foliage-dwellers are sensitive to immission. Indicator species analysis also proved the clear classification of the responses of spiders to immission load. The probable direct and indirect effects of immission, causing differences in the species richness, diversity and the composition of spider assemblages, are also discussed.