Factors affecting dispersal and web tenacity in the lampshade spider, Hypochilus pococki Platinick (Araneae: Hypochilidae)
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Sarah Ruth Batte Corkern (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- Kefyn Catley
Abstract: The ability of a species to disperse is a key component in maintaining gene flow
and therefore genetic diversity between populations. Dispersal in the lampshade spider
Hypochilus, may be adversely affected by their extreme habitat specialization, restricting
them to habitats consisting of damp, shaded rock faces in montane regions. These
habitats are often patchy in nature and in some areas may be threatened by destructive
fragmentation due to human activities. Movement of adult females within a population of
Hypochilus pococki Platnick were observed in the Pisgah National Forest, Canton, NC.
Eighty-nine individuals were marked within five designated plots. Web use and
movement within plots was tracked over multiple visits over a breeding season. Females
were shown to have a greater propensity toward web-tenacity than toward movement
between web-sites. Individuals that did re-locate were more likely to travel a shorter
distance than a greater distance between visits than was expected by chance. Results
provide empirical support for previous genetic study conclusions and anecdotal
observations that females exhibit limited movement and are therefore dispersal limited. The role that juvenile spiders and mature males might play in maintaining gene flow
among populations is discussed as is how understanding the processes of gene flow
among Hypochilus populations is critical to the conservation biology of all three species
in Western North Carolina.
Factors affecting dispersal and web tenacity in the lampshade spider, Hypochilus pococki Platinick (Araneae: Hypochilidae)
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Created on 11/1/2012
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2012
- Keywords
- habitat fragmentation, habitat specialist, Hypochilus, limited dispersal, non-ballooning, spider dispersal
- Subjects
- Hypochilus -- Dispersal -- North Carolina -- Pisgah National Forest
- Spiders -- Dispersal -- North Carolina -- Pisgah National Forest