Species diversity of spiders (Arachnida, Aranei) in agroecosystems of Moscow oblast and Krasnodar krai

Abstract

A census of spiders has been taken in Moscow oblast and Krasnodar krai (the Kuban Plain) in fields under corn, vetch-oat mixture, and winter wheat (in the central and peripheral zones separately), as well as on their margins and in adjoinint areas of other biotopes. Spiders were collected using entomological sweeping and pitfall traps. On the whole, 286 species of 20 families and 146 genera have been found (205 species in Moscow oblast and 139 species in Krasnodar krai). The level of species diversity does not change significantly; a noticeable decrease in this parameter is observed only in the central zones of fields. In Moscow oblast, species diversity reaches a peak at field margins; in Krasnodar krai, no regular differences in this parameter between the forest strip, field margin, and the peripheral zone of a crop field has been revealed. Species diversity usually decreases toward the field center. However, changes in species diversity at a distance of more than 100 m from the margins are insignificant.