1. Small scale changes in spider diversity and composition between two close elevations in a Neotropical forest.
- Author
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Lalagüe, Hadrien, Vedel, Vincent, and Pétillon, Julien
- Subjects
ALTITUDES ,RAIN forests ,TROPICAL forests ,SPIDERS ,SPECIES diversity ,ECOSYSTEMS - Abstract
Tropical rainforests are one of the most diverse ecosystems worldwide, yet the mechanisms driving the spatial distribution of their biodiversity remain poorly understood. Here, we tested the effects of elevation, sampling method and their interaction on α and β diversities of spider assemblages between two close elevations in one tropical forest of French Guiana. Through a standardized protocol, both ground- and vegetation-dwelling (up to 2.5-m high) assemblages were sampled at medium and high elevations, during day and night using 3 complementary methods (beating, sweeping, and nocturnal hand collecting). Despite a lower total number of species at high elevation, we found no significant effect of elevation on mean species richness. However, elevation had a significant effect on species composition, notably with less web builders and more ground hunters at higher elevations. In addition, we found a significant effect of sampling methods on both estimated species richness and composition. These results suggest that even slight elevation shape spider assemblages of tropical forests, which probably contributes to the high turn-over and amazing gamma diversity of these ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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