Habitat selection and web plasticity by the orb spider Argiope keyserlingi (Argiopidae): Do they compromise foraging success for predator avoidance?

摘要: Abstract  Orb web spiders face a dilemma: forage in open habitats and risk predation or closed to minimize but at reduced foraging profitability. We tested whether Argiope keyserlingi opts for safer the expense of success by (i) determining habitat selection indices habitats; (ii) marking releasing individual juvenile, subadult adults over two 4-week periods determine if life-history stage influences selection; (iii) biotic abiotic environmental parameters that relate A. keyserlingi abundance. found selected habitats. Sedge anthropogenic structures were trees avoided. Juveniles never habitats, most likely because high postdispersal mortality. Subadults may shift from while juveniles shifted habitat. Foliage density, plant height, potential prey abundance, mantid bird abundance correlated with only explaining selection. measured capture area, spiral distance (distance between threads) number decoration arms (0, 1, 2, 3 4) field did laboratory experiments test influence space vegetation; abundance; damage, on architecture. webs exhibited geometric plasticity having larger areas distances Decoration design not differ however. Variation availability, air temperature, damage explained variations Potential size diversity differed not. As large be important spider survivorship, appears compromised occupying