Influence of Selected Weed Control Practices on Araneid Faunal Composition and Abundance in Sugarcane

Abstract

In a 3-year study of spiders collected in weedy versus weed-free habitats in Louisiana sugarcane fields, pitfall trap catches showed no differences in diversity (as determined by the number of species and their individuals) of ground associated spider fauna. Diversity of foliage associated spider fauna was 27% higher in grass and mixed weedy than in weed-free and broadleaf habitats in 1983, based on D-Vac samples. Sweep net counts in 1984 revealed a 39% higher foliar spider diversity in weedy than in weed-free habitats. Overall spider abundance in sugarcane decreased with seasonal progression. Additionally, comparisons of weed-free, grass, broadleaf, and mixed weed habitats showed that weed floral composition seems to have little effect on the collective spider abundance and faunal diversity.