IMIS | Lifewatch regional portal

You are here

IMIS

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Spiders as indicators for habitat evaluation in the Flemish coastal dunes
Bonte, D.; Maelfait, J.-P. (2002). Spiders as indicators for habitat evaluation in the Flemish coastal dunes, in: Mees, J. et al. (Ed.) VLIZ Young Scientists' Day, Brugge, Belgium 13 March 2002: book of abstracts. VLIZ Special Publication, 7: pp. 23
In: Mees, J.; Seys, J. (Ed.) (2002). VLIZ Young Scientists' Day, Brugge, Belgium 13 March 2002: book of abstracts. VLIZ Special Publication, 7. Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Oostende. VI, 57 pp., more
In: VLIZ Special Publication. Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ): Oostende. ISSN 1377-0950, more

Available in  Authors 
Document type: Summary

Keywords
    Evaluation
    Habitat
    Spiders
    Spiders
    Taxa > Species > Indicator species
    Topographic features > Beach features > Dunes
    ANE, Belgium [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal

Authors  Top 

Abstract
    During this lecture, we present the results of a detailed study on the occurrence and ecology of spiders in the Flemish coastal dunes, as a tool for evaluating the conservation importance of dune arthropod species in general. Spider diversity is evaluated in function of the different assemblages, which are habitat specific. Especially dune grasslands, dune slacks and Marram dunes represent the highest value for nature conservation because of the presence of dune characteristic and dune specific species. These habitats are now heavily fragmented because of grass- and scrub encroachment. This fragmentation results in decreasing habitat surfaces, which affect the diversity and assemblage stability negatively. Habitat fragmentation not only affects the species diversity, but can also influence the viability of population. Within this framework we present the results of research on the effects of grassland fragmentation on the population dynamics, genetics and viability of our model species Pardosa monticola. Our results indicate that arthropod (spider) conservation will not only depend on the conservation of suitable habitat but also on the general landscape configuration.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors