Air Temperature and Humidity at the Bottom of Desert Wolf Spider Burrows Are Not Affected by Surface Conditions
Burrows are animal-built structures that can buffer their occupants against the vagaries of the weather and provide protection from predators. We investigated whether the trapdoors of wolf spider (Lycosa sp.; temporary working name <i>"L. hyraculus"</i>) burrows in the Negev De...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/10/943 |
| _version_ | 1797514226645860352 |
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| author | Irene Steves Pedro Berliner Berry Pinshow |
| author_facet | Irene Steves Pedro Berliner Berry Pinshow |
| author_sort | Irene Steves |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Burrows are animal-built structures that can buffer their occupants against the vagaries of the weather and provide protection from predators. We investigated whether the trapdoors of wolf spider (Lycosa sp.; temporary working name <i>"L. hyraculus"</i>) burrows in the Negev Desert serve to maintain favorable environmental conditions within the burrow by removing trapdoors and monitoring the ensuing temperature and relative humidity regime within them. We also monitored the behavioral responses of “<i>L. hyraculus</i>” to trapdoor removal at different times of the day and in different seasons. “<i>L. hyraculus</i>” often spun silk mesh in their burrow entrances in response to trapdoor removal during the day, possibly to deter diurnal predators. The frequency of web-spinning peaked on summer mornings, but spiders began spinning webs sooner after trapdoor removal later in the day. In addition, we monitored temperature and relative humidity in artificial burrows in the summer during the morning and at midday. At noon, air temperature (<i>T</i><sub>a</sub>) at the bottom of open burrows increased by <1 °C more than in covered burrows, but water vapor pressure in burrows did not change. The relatively small increase in <i>T</i><sub>a</sub> in uncovered burrows at midday can probably be ascribed to the penetration of direct solar radiation. Thus, air temperature and humidity at the bottom of the burrow are apparently decoupled from airflow at the surface. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:28:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-290ad5b3cb024e52986c548d82ec440a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:28:37Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-290ad5b3cb024e52986c548d82ec440a2023-11-22T18:40:03ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502021-10-01121094310.3390/insects12100943Air Temperature and Humidity at the Bottom of Desert Wolf Spider Burrows Are Not Affected by Surface ConditionsIrene Steves0Pedro Berliner1Berry Pinshow2Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, IsraelFrench Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, IsraelMitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, IsraelBurrows are animal-built structures that can buffer their occupants against the vagaries of the weather and provide protection from predators. We investigated whether the trapdoors of wolf spider (Lycosa sp.; temporary working name <i>"L. hyraculus"</i>) burrows in the Negev Desert serve to maintain favorable environmental conditions within the burrow by removing trapdoors and monitoring the ensuing temperature and relative humidity regime within them. We also monitored the behavioral responses of “<i>L. hyraculus</i>” to trapdoor removal at different times of the day and in different seasons. “<i>L. hyraculus</i>” often spun silk mesh in their burrow entrances in response to trapdoor removal during the day, possibly to deter diurnal predators. The frequency of web-spinning peaked on summer mornings, but spiders began spinning webs sooner after trapdoor removal later in the day. In addition, we monitored temperature and relative humidity in artificial burrows in the summer during the morning and at midday. At noon, air temperature (<i>T</i><sub>a</sub>) at the bottom of open burrows increased by <1 °C more than in covered burrows, but water vapor pressure in burrows did not change. The relatively small increase in <i>T</i><sub>a</sub> in uncovered burrows at midday can probably be ascribed to the penetration of direct solar radiation. Thus, air temperature and humidity at the bottom of the burrow are apparently decoupled from airflow at the surface.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/10/943Lycosidaespider burrowsactivity patternsresponses to disturbancemicroenvironment |
| spellingShingle | Irene Steves Pedro Berliner Berry Pinshow Air Temperature and Humidity at the Bottom of Desert Wolf Spider Burrows Are Not Affected by Surface Conditions Insects Lycosidae spider burrows activity patterns responses to disturbance microenvironment |
| title | Air Temperature and Humidity at the Bottom of Desert Wolf Spider Burrows Are Not Affected by Surface Conditions |
| title_full | Air Temperature and Humidity at the Bottom of Desert Wolf Spider Burrows Are Not Affected by Surface Conditions |
| title_fullStr | Air Temperature and Humidity at the Bottom of Desert Wolf Spider Burrows Are Not Affected by Surface Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Air Temperature and Humidity at the Bottom of Desert Wolf Spider Burrows Are Not Affected by Surface Conditions |
| title_short | Air Temperature and Humidity at the Bottom of Desert Wolf Spider Burrows Are Not Affected by Surface Conditions |
| title_sort | air temperature and humidity at the bottom of desert wolf spider burrows are not affected by surface conditions |
| topic | Lycosidae spider burrows activity patterns responses to disturbance microenvironment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/10/943 |
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