Responses of foliage‐living spider assemblage composition and traits to a climatic gradient in Themeda grasslands

摘要: For speciose, but poorly known groups, such as terrestrial arthropods, functional traits present a potential avenue to assist in predicting responses environmental change. Species turnover is common along gradients, it unclear how this reflected species traits. Community-level change arthropod traits, other than body size, has rarely been explored across spatial scales comparable those examined here. We hypothesized that the composition and morphological of spider assemblages would differ gradient climate habitat structure. foliage-living associated with Themeda triandra grasslands 900 km climatic south-eastern Australia. used sweep-netting collect T. triandra-associated spiders counted juveniles identified adults. also measured adult noted their hunting mode. Associations measures structure were less consistent relationships climate. Both juvenile more abundant warmer sites, although richness was not affected by temperature. found distinct gradient, spiders, particularly crab (Thomisidae), making up greater proportion climates. A range correlated gradient. example, larger active hunters Changes species, rather within drove morphology-climate relationship. Strong climate-trait correlations suggest may be possible predict changes response anthropogenic disturbances