Effect of phenology on agonistic competitive interactions between invasive and native sheet-web spiders

Canadian Journal of Zoology
By: , and 

Links

Abstract

The phenologies of introduced relative to native species can greatly influence the degree and symmetry of competition between them. The European spider Linyphia triangularis (Clerck, 1757) (Linyphiidae) reaches very high densities in coastal Maine (USA). Previous studies suggest thatL. triangularis negatively affects native linyphiid species, with competition for webs as one mechanism. We documented phenological differences between L. triangularis and three native species that illustrate the potential for the reversal of size-based competitive advantage over the course of the year. To test whether relative size influences interaction outcome, we allowed a resident spider to build a web and then introduced an intruder. We examined whether the outcomes of agonistic interactions over the webs were influenced by the species of the resident (invasive or native), the relative size of the contestants, and the species × size interaction. We found that the importance of relative size differed among species. In interactions between L. triangularis and each of two native species, size played a greater role than resident species on the outcome of interactions, suggesting that competitive advantage reverses over the season based on phenology-related size differences. Linyphia triangularis had a negative impact on the third species regardless of relative size.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Effect of phenology on agonistic competitive interactions between invasive and native sheet-web spiders
Series title Canadian Journal of Zoology
DOI 10.1139/cjz-2015-0221
Volume 94
Issue 6
Year Published 2016
Language English
Publisher NRC Research Press
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 8 p.
First page 427
Last page 434
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details