Abstract
European forest management guidelines include conservation and enhancement of biodiversity. Within plantation forestry, trackways provide contiguous permanent open-habitat with potential to enhance biodiversity. We examined the ground-active spider assemblage in the trackway network of Thetford Forest, Eastern England, the largest lowland conifer forest in the UK, created by afforestation of heathland and farmland. Results are relevant to other forests in heath regions across Europe. We used pitfall trapping to sample the spider assemblage of trackways within thicket-aged stands (n = 17), mature stands (n = 13) and heathland reference sites (n = 9). A total of 9,314 individuals of 71 species were recorded. Spider assemblages of the trackway network were distinct from those of the heathland reference sites; however, trackways were found to support specialist species associated with grass-heath habitats, including nationally scarce species. Richness of grass-heath species was similar for trackways in thicket-aged forest and heathland reference sites, although the abundance of individuals was three times greater in the reference sites. Trackways in mature stands had lower grass-heath species richness and abundance than both thicket trackways and heath reference sites. Wide trackways within thicket stands contained greater richness and abundance of specialist xeric species than narrower trackways. However, fewer xeric individuals were found in trackways compared to heathland reference sites. Either inferior habitat quality in trackways or poor dispersal ability of specialist xeric species may largely restrict these to relict areas of heathland. Targeted widening of trackways to allow permanent unshaded habitat and creating early successional stages by mechanical disturbance regimes could improve trackway suitability for specialist species, helping to restore connectivity networks for grass-heath biodiversity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aerts R, Huiszoon A, Van Oostrum JHA, Van de Vijver CADM, Willems JH (1995) The potential for heathland restoration on formerly arable land at a site in Drenthe, The Netherlands. J Appl Ecol 32:827–835
Bertoncelj I (2010) Spatio-temporal dynamics of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in a mosaic forested landscape. PhD Thesis. University of East Anglia, Norwich
Bonte D, Criel P, Van Thournout I, Maelfait JP (2003) Regional and local variation of spider assemblages (Araneae) from coastal grey dunes along the North Sea. J Biogeogr 30:901–911
Bonte D, Van Belle S, Maelfait JP (2007) Maternal care and reproductive state-dependent mobility determine natal dispersal in a wolf spider. Anim Behav 74:63–69
Butterfield J, Luff ML, Baines M, Eyre MD (1995) Carabid beetle communities as indicators of conservation potential in upland forests. For Ecol Manage 79:63–77
Clarke KR, Gorley RN (2001) Primer v5. PRIMER-E Ltd, Plymouth
Clarke KR, Warwick RM (1994) Change in marine communities: an approach to statistical analysis and interpretation. Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth
Colwell RK (2009) EstimateS: Statistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples. Version 8.2. User’s Guide and application published at: http://purl.oclc.org/estimates. Accessed 20 Oct 2011
Day KR, Marshall S, Heaney C (1993) Associations between forest type and invertebrates—ground beetle community patterns in a natural oakwood and juxtaposed conifer plantations. Forestry 66:37–50
Dolman PM, Sutherland WJ (1992) The ecological changes of Breckland grass heaths and the consequences of management. J Appl Ecol 29:402–413
Dolman PM, Sutherland WJ (1994) The use of soil disturbance in the management of Breckland grass heaths for nature conservation. J Environ Manage 41:123–140
Dolman P, Panter C, Mossman HL (2010) Securing biodiversity in Breckland: guidance and recommendations for conservation and research. In: First report of the Breckland Biodiversity Audit. University of East Anglia, Norwich
Duffey E (1968) An ecological analysis of spider fauna of sand dunes. J Anim Ecol 37:641–674
Duffey E, Locket GH, Millidge AF (1957) The spider fauna of the heaths and fens in West Suffolk. Trans Suffolk Nat Soc 10:199–209
English Nature (2004) Breckland forest SSSI site management statement. English Nature, Bury St. Edmunds
European Community (1992) The habitats directive 92/43/EEC. European Community, Brussels
Eycott AE, Watkinson AR, Dolman PM (2006) Ecological patterns of plant diversity in a plantation forest managed by clearfelling. J Appl Ecol 43:1160–1171
Farrell L (1993) Lowland heathland: the extent of habitat change. English Nature, Peterborough
Gimingham CH (1972) Ecology of heathlands. Chapman and Hall Ltd, London
Granstrom A (1988) Seed banks at six open and afforested heathland sites in southern Sweden. J Appl Ecol 25:297–306
Greatorex-Davies JN, Sparks TH, Hall ML, Marrs RH (1993) The influence of shade on butterflies in rides of coniferized lowland woods in southern England and implications for conservation management. Biol Conserv 63:31–41
Greatorex-Davies JN, Sparks TH, Hall ML (1994) The response of heteroptera and coleoptera species to shade and aspect in rides of coniferised lowland woods in southern England. Biol Conserv 67:255–273
Haddad NM, Tewksbury JJ (2005) Low-quality habitat corridors as movement conduits for two butterfly species. Ecol Appl 15:250–257
Harvey P, Nellist D, Telfer M (2002) Provisional Atlas of British Spiders (Arachnida, Araneae), vol 1–2. Biological Records Centre, Abbots Ripton
Hemami MR, Watkinson AR, Dolman PM (2004) Habitat selection by sympatric muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in a lowland commercial pine forest. For Ecol Manage 194:49–60
Hopkins PJ, Webb NR (1984) The composition of the beetle and spider faunas on fragmented heathlands. J Appl Ecol 21:935–946
Kiss B, Samu F (2000) Evaluation of population densities of the common wolf spider Pardosa agrestis (Araneae: Lycosidae) in Hungarian alfalfa fields using mark-recapture. Eur J Entomol 97:191–195
Kuusipalo J, Kangas J (1994) Managing biodiversity in a forestry environment. Conserv Biol 8:450–460
Lawton JH, Brotherton PNM, Brown VK, Elphick C, Fitter AH, Forshaw J, Haddow RW, Hilborne S, Leafe RN, Mace GM, Southgate MP, Sutherland WJ, Tew TE, Varley J, Wynne GR (2010) Making space for nature: a review of England’s wildlife sites and ecological network. Report to DEFRA
Lin YC, James R, Dolman PM (2007) Conservation of heathland ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae): the value of lowland coniferous plantations. Biodivers Conserv 16:1337–1358
Morse DH (1997) Distribution, movement, and activity patterns of an intertidal wolf spider Pardosa lapidicina population (Araneae: Lycosidae). J Arachnol 25:1–10
Mullen K, Fahy O, Gormally M (2003) Ground flora and associated arthropod communities of forest road edges in Connemara, Ireland. Biodivers Conserv 12:87–101
Oxbrough AG, Gittings T, O’Halloran J, Giller PS, Kelly TC (2006) The influence of open space on ground-dwelling spider assemblages within plantation forests. For Ecol Manage 237:404–417
Pywell RF, Pakeman RJ, Allchin EA, Bourn NAD, Warman EA, Walker KJ (2002) The potential for lowland heath regeneration following plantation removal. Biol Conserv 108:247–258
Roberts MJ (1987) The spiders of Great Britain and Ireland. Harley Books, Colchester
Roberts MJ (1996) Spiders of Britain and Northern Europe. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London
Robinson JV (1981) The effect of architectural variation in habitat on a spider community—an experimental field-study. Ecology 62:73–80
Romermann C, Bernhardt-Romermann M, Kleyer M, Poschlod P (2009) Substitutes for grazing in semi-natural grasslands—do mowing or mulching represent valuable alternatives to maintain vegetation structure? J Veg Sci 20:1086–1098
Schultz CB (1998) Dispersal behavior and its implications for reserve design in a rare Oregon butterfly. Conserv Biol 12:284–292
Sparks TH, Greatorex-Davies JN, Mountford JO, Hall ML, Marrs RH (1996) The effects of shade on the plant communities of rides in plantation woodland and implications for butterfly conservation. For Ecol Manage 80:197–207
Spellerberg IF, Sawyer JWD (1996) Standards for biodiversity: a proposal based on biodiversity standards for forest plantations. Biodivers Conserv 5:447–459
Warren MS (1985) The influence of shade on butterfly numbers in woodland rides, with special reference to the wood white Leptidea-sinapis. Biol Conserv 33:147–164
Warren MS, Fuller RJ (1993) Woodland rides and glades: their management for wildlife, 2nd edn. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough
Webb NR (1998) The traditional management of European heathlands. J Appl Ecol 35:987–990
Webb NR (2009) Heathland. Collins, London
Webb NR, Hopkins PJ (1984) Invertebrate diversity on fragmented Calluna heathland. J Appl Ecol 21:921–933
Wise DH (1993) Spiders in ecological webs. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to H. Mossman for comments on earlier versions of this paper and to the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable feedback. S. M. Pedley was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pedley, S.M., Bertoncelj, I. & Dolman, P.M. The value of the trackway system within a lowland plantation forest for ground-active spiders. J Insect Conserv 17, 127–137 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-012-9491-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-012-9491-2