Small-Scale Spatial Pattern of Web-Building Spiders (Araneae) in Alfalfa: Relationship to Disturbance from Cutting, Prey Availability, and Intraguild Interactions

摘要: Understanding the development of spatial patterns in generalist predators will improve our ability to incorporate them into biological control programs. We studied small-scale spider webs alfalfa by analyzing relationship between web locations over distances ranging from 4 66 cm. Using a coordinate-based statistic (O-ring) and assuming heterogeneous distribution suitable sites, we analyzed impact cutting changes abundance on distribution. influence variation prey availability comparing distributions pattern sticky-trap captures Aphididae Diptera described count-based (SADIE). Cutting reduced overall density web-building spiders but had no immediate their webs. Availability aphids was highest before cut clumped at scale Spider webs, however, were not any or date. In contrast, regularly distributed smaller (<20 cm) immediately after cutting. Because cursorial most active during this period, hypothesize that regularity driven intraguild interactions. Our results suggest interactions contribute alfalfa. Variation may have more an crops with different vegetation structure if are larger scales.