The impact of mowing as a management strategy for wet meadows on spider (Araneae) communities |
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Authors: | Marie-France Cattin,Carolin Bana&scaron ek-Richter |
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Affiliation: | a Institut de Zoologie, Rue Emile-Argand 11, CP2, CH-2007 Neuchâtel, Switzerlandb Muséum d'Histoire naturelle, Groupe d'Arachnologie, Av. L.-Robert 63, CH-2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerlandc Department of Mathematics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland |
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Abstract: | Meadows are often managed by mowing to prevent succession and brushwood encroachment. This management practice is efficient to maintain plant diversity, but the effect on arthropod groups is less well known. We sampled spiders in the Grande Cariçaie (Switzerland), a site of nature conservation importance, in two types of wet meadows, an unmanaged site and one 2-years-old mown conditions. Numbers of individuals for the most abundant families, diversity measures, and indicator taxa were compared among vegetation and treatment types. The results indicate that the less mobile spiders and species linked to litter or dead reeds, including rare species, are reduced by mowing. Present management consists in triennial mowing of 2-4 ha non-contiguous sectors. We investigate the conflict between the need to mow the meadows to maintain them, and the negative effect of mowing on spider communities. We therefore propose a new management scheme aimed at maintain the vegetation while lessening its negative effects on spider communities by providing refuges. |
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Keywords: | Cladium mariscus Schoenus nigricans Density Diversity Indicator species Succession Wetlands Grande Cariç aie |
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