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Understory spider diversity in two remnants of tropical montane cloud forest in Chiapas, Mexico

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Abstract

We evaluated the spider diversity of a tropical montane cloud forest understory in two nearby sites with different degree of human disturbance at the Biosphere Reserve Volcán Tacaná, Chiapas, Mexico. The study was conducted over a 24 days period distributed in 6 months in 2009, covering dry and rainy seasons. A total of 8,370 spiders (1,208 adults and 7,162 juveniles) were collected. Determined specimens (7,747) represented 112 species and morphospecies, 71 genera and 22 families. The results showed that human disturbance has an influence on spider communities: species richness was significantly higher in the preserved site as regards to the disturbed site. Despite their proximity, the composition of spider communities showed only a moderate similarity between the two sites. No differences in abundance were found among sites when considering the whole sample, but sites differed clearly when seasons were analyzed separately. The rainy season had a negative effect on the abundance of spiders in the preserved site. Although the spider community structure was very similar between sites, there was a trend towards a greater species evenness in the preserved site for the whole sampling period and for the dry season.

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Acknowledgments

We thank J. A. López-Méndez, E. Senties-Celma and E. R. Chamé-Vázquez for the long hours of assistance in collecting specimens. J. Valle-Mora assisted in the statistical analyses and J. H. López-Urbina with the map design. We extend our gratitude to two anonymous reviewers who suggested valuable improvements to the manuscript. Spider specimens were collected in the Volcán Tacaná Biosphere Reserve under a permit to G. Ibarra-Núñez (SGPA/DGVS/00034/09). J. Maya-Morales was supported by a fellowship from the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT).

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  1. Departamento de Entomología Tropical, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Carr. Antiguo Aeropuerto km 2.5, Tapachula, 30700, Chiapas, Mexico

    Julieta Maya-Morales, Guillermo Ibarra-Núñez & Francisco Infante

  2. Departamento de Ecología y Sistemática Terrestre, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Carr. Panamericana y Av. Periférico Sur S/N, San Cristóbal de las Casas, 29290, Chiapas, Mexico

    Jorge L. León-Cortés

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  1. Julieta Maya-Morales
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Correspondence to Guillermo Ibarra-Núñez.

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Maya-Morales, J., Ibarra-Núñez, G., León-Cortés, J.L. et al. Understory spider diversity in two remnants of tropical montane cloud forest in Chiapas, Mexico. J Insect Conserv 16, 25–38 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-011-9391-x

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