Density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history, and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal crops
Abstract Spiders are among the dominant invertebrate predators in agricultural systems and are significant regulators of insect pests. The precise dynamics of biocontrol of pests in the field are, however, poorly understood. This study investigates how density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Environmental DNA |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.272 |
| _version_ | 1818251101007249408 |
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| author | Jordan P. Cuff Maximillian P.T.G. Tercel Lorna E. Drake Ian P. Vaughan James R. Bell Pablo Orozco‐terWengel Carsten T. Müller William O.C. Symondson |
| author_facet | Jordan P. Cuff Maximillian P.T.G. Tercel Lorna E. Drake Ian P. Vaughan James R. Bell Pablo Orozco‐terWengel Carsten T. Müller William O.C. Symondson |
| author_sort | Jordan P. Cuff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Spiders are among the dominant invertebrate predators in agricultural systems and are significant regulators of insect pests. The precise dynamics of biocontrol of pests in the field are, however, poorly understood. This study investigates how density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life stage, sex, and web characteristics affect spider diet and biocontrol. We collected spiders in four genera of Linyphiidae (i.e., Bathyphantes, Erigone, Tenuiphantes, and Microlinyphia), and individuals from the Lycosidae genus Pardosa, and their proximate prey communities from barley fields in Wales, UK between April and September 2018. We analyzed the gut contents of 300 individual spiders using DNA metabarcoding. From the 300 spiders screened, 89 prey taxa were identified from 45 families, including a wide range of pests and predators. Thrips were the dominant prey, present in over a third of the spiders sampled, but a type IV functional response appears to reduce their predation at peak abundances. Spider diets significantly differed based on web characteristics, but this depended on the genus and sex of the spider and it was not the principal separating factor in the trophic niches of linyphiids and lycosids. Diets significantly differed between spider genera and life stages, reflected in different propensities for intraguild predation and pest predation. Adult spiders predated a greater diversity of other predators, and juveniles predated a greater diversity of pests. Overall, Tenuiphantes spp. and Bathyphantes spp. exhibited the greatest individual potential for biocontrol of the greatest diversity of pest genera. The greater trophic niche complementarity of Pardosa spp. and Erigone spp., however, suggests that their complementary predation of different pests might be of greater overall benefit to biocontrol. Sustainable agriculture should aim to optimize conditions throughout the cropping cycle for effective biocontrol, prioritizing provision for a diversity of spiders which predate a complementary diversity of pest species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T16:02:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e8734f0f9e742008d5046e76151f0d3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2637-4943 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T16:02:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental DNA |
| spelling | doaj.art-1e8734f0f9e742008d5046e76151f0d32022-12-22T00:19:23ZengWileyEnvironmental DNA2637-49432022-05-014354956410.1002/edn3.272Density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history, and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal cropsJordan P. Cuff0Maximillian P.T.G. Tercel1Lorna E. Drake2Ian P. Vaughan3James R. Bell4Pablo Orozco‐terWengel5Carsten T. Müller6William O.C. Symondson7School of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKSchool of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKSchool of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKSchool of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKRothamsted Insect Survey, Rothamsted Research, West Common Harpenden UKSchool of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKSchool of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKSchool of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKAbstract Spiders are among the dominant invertebrate predators in agricultural systems and are significant regulators of insect pests. The precise dynamics of biocontrol of pests in the field are, however, poorly understood. This study investigates how density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life stage, sex, and web characteristics affect spider diet and biocontrol. We collected spiders in four genera of Linyphiidae (i.e., Bathyphantes, Erigone, Tenuiphantes, and Microlinyphia), and individuals from the Lycosidae genus Pardosa, and their proximate prey communities from barley fields in Wales, UK between April and September 2018. We analyzed the gut contents of 300 individual spiders using DNA metabarcoding. From the 300 spiders screened, 89 prey taxa were identified from 45 families, including a wide range of pests and predators. Thrips were the dominant prey, present in over a third of the spiders sampled, but a type IV functional response appears to reduce their predation at peak abundances. Spider diets significantly differed based on web characteristics, but this depended on the genus and sex of the spider and it was not the principal separating factor in the trophic niches of linyphiids and lycosids. Diets significantly differed between spider genera and life stages, reflected in different propensities for intraguild predation and pest predation. Adult spiders predated a greater diversity of other predators, and juveniles predated a greater diversity of pests. Overall, Tenuiphantes spp. and Bathyphantes spp. exhibited the greatest individual potential for biocontrol of the greatest diversity of pest genera. The greater trophic niche complementarity of Pardosa spp. and Erigone spp., however, suggests that their complementary predation of different pests might be of greater overall benefit to biocontrol. Sustainable agriculture should aim to optimize conditions throughout the cropping cycle for effective biocontrol, prioritizing provision for a diversity of spiders which predate a complementary diversity of pest species.https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.272conservation biological controlfunctional responsehigh‐throughput sequencingintraguild predationmetabarcodingweb |
| spellingShingle | Jordan P. Cuff Maximillian P.T.G. Tercel Lorna E. Drake Ian P. Vaughan James R. Bell Pablo Orozco‐terWengel Carsten T. Müller William O.C. Symondson Density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history, and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal crops Environmental DNA conservation biological control functional response high‐throughput sequencing intraguild predation metabarcoding web |
| title | Density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history, and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal crops |
| title_full | Density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history, and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal crops |
| title_fullStr | Density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history, and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal crops |
| title_full_unstemmed | Density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history, and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal crops |
| title_short | Density‐independent prey choice, taxonomy, life history, and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders (Linyphiidae and Lycosidae) in cereal crops |
| title_sort | density independent prey choice taxonomy life history and web characteristics determine the diet and biocontrol potential of spiders linyphiidae and lycosidae in cereal crops |
| topic | conservation biological control functional response high‐throughput sequencing intraguild predation metabarcoding web |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.272 |
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