Biodiv Sci ›› 2023, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (3): 22493.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2022493

• Original Papers: Animal Diversity • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Influencing factors of spider community diversity in poplar plantations in Xinjiang, China

Weiwei Lin1, Chengming Tian1, Dianguang Xiong1, Weihang Liu1,2, Ryhguli Sidike3, Yingmei Liang1,4,*()   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083
    2 Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Pu’er, Pu’er, Yunnan 665000
    3 Afforestation and Emission Reduction Operation Area of Administrative Affairs Center of Xinjiang Oilfield Company, Karamay, Xinjiang 834000
    4 Museum of Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083
  • Received:2022-08-28 Accepted:2022-12-08 Online:2023-03-20 Published:2023-03-04
  • Contact: Yingmei Liang

Abstract:

Aims: As primary consumers in forest ecosystems, spiders play an important role in maintaining forest biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Poplar is the main afforestation tree species in arid and semi-arid areas, and the diversity of spider community structures in the forest is closely related to the health of poplar plantations. This paper aims to research the influencing factors of the spider community structure in poplar plantations in arid desert areas.

Methods: Three different forest stand types (forest belt, forest block stand, and farmland shelterbelt) were selected as study areas in the carbon sink forest base of Karamay, with a total of 126 fixed plots were designated, and we utilized the trap method and sweeping web method to investigate spider diversity. The similarity and diversity of spider species structure among stand types were compared by one-way variance analysis of variance (ANOVA), non-metric multi-dimensional scaling analysis (NMDS), and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM), while the understory was examined using correlation analysis. The influence of understory vegetation structure on spider community structure was analyzed and discussed.

Results: The results indicated that the individual numbers of spiders in farmland shelterbelt was the largest, but the diversity within this forest stand type was significantly lower than that of other stand types. The composition of the spider community in the forest block stand and forest belt were similar, but there was a gap between those types and the farmland shelterbelt. The number of web spiders was the lowest in the forest belt stand, but the diversity was higher than that of other forest stand types. The density, coverage and diversity of understory herbs and shrubs significantly promoted the number of spiders found in each stand type. Herbs had a greater impact on the community structure of web spiders than shrubs.

Conclusion: Spider community structures and functional diversity are affected by different forest stand types and vegetation structures. This study enriches the content of spider diversity research and provides a reference for understanding forest spider population dynamics. It is also contributed to the understanding of spider population dynamics in poplar plantations in arid regions.

Key words: forest stand types, spider diversity, community structure, functional group, dominant species