Central European habitats inhabited by spiders with disjunctive distributions

• Main Author: Růžička, V. (Vlastimil)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: spiders; glacial relicts; boreomontane species; Tundra
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0198468

The purpose of the study is to find which habitats within Central Europe support the persistence of isolated populations of spider species of both boreal and Alpine origins. Twenty-five species exhibited disjunctive distributions with their main sub-area in the tundra or boreal forest, and isolated sub-areas in the temperate zone of Central Europe. Six species exhibited disjunctive distributions with their main sub-area in the Alps, and isolated sub-areas in the temperate zone in Central Europe. Only one-third of the species of boreal origin have the same habitat, as in the boreal zone. Two-thirds of the species inhabit different habitats, or have narrowed their ecological valency. Screes play an important role in the survival of isolated populations of species of boreal origin in the temperate zone, together with mountain summits, mountain forests, and peat bogs. Complexes of sandstone rocks also enables the survival of isolated populations of species of boreal origin.