Abstract Deserts, despite being extreme environments, contain multiple habitats of different productivity and vegetation structure, affecting the abundance and diversity of desert arthropods. Predatory arthropods may be exceptionally diverse where scattered vegetation provides micro-habitats, concentrations of prey, and protection from predation risk. We examined the effect of habitat differences and local vegetation structure on abundance, diversity and assemblage composition of ground-active spiders in the Negev desert, Israel. Our monthly pitfall trapping in four main habitat types – dunes, loess plain, rocky slopes and wadis (dry watercourses), collected 5937 adults of 136 species. The abundance of ground-active spiders was highest in the dunes due to two dominant species, Haplodrassus pugnans and Zodarion nitidum. Both habitat and season significantly affected species richness, which peaked in the warm season; wadis had consistently higher species richness (63–74 spp.) than other habitats (48–61 spp.). Vegetation height positively correlated with both species richness and abundance in all habitats. Spider assemblages in the same, but geographically distant, habitats were more similar than those in adjacent but different habitats. Several numerically dominant species were habitat specialists. Our results confirm the need for large- and local-scale habitat management to maintain spider diversity in the face of increasing anthropogenic threats.

中文翻译：

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以色列内盖夫沙漠栖息地地面活跃蜘蛛的多样性

摘要 沙漠虽然是极端环境，但包含多种生产力和植被结构不同的生境，影响了沙漠节肢动物的丰度和多样性。捕食性节肢动物可能异常多样，其中散落的植被提供了微型栖息地、猎物集中地和免受捕食风险的保护。我们研究了栖息地差异和当地植被结构对以色列内盖夫沙漠地面活跃蜘蛛的丰度、多样性和组合组成的影响。我们每月在四种主要栖息地类型（沙丘、黄土平原、岩石斜坡和干河道）中捕获陷阱，收集了 136 个物种的 5937 只成虫。由于两种优势物种 Haplodrassus pugnans 和 Zodarion nitidum，沙丘中地面活跃蜘蛛的丰度最高。栖息地和季节都对物种丰富度产生显着影响，在暖季达到高峰；wadis 的物种丰富度（63–74 spp.）一直高于其他栖息地（48–61 spp.）。植被高度与所有栖息地的物种丰富度和丰度呈正相关。在相同但地理上遥远的栖息地中的蜘蛛组合比相邻但不同的栖息地中的蜘蛛组合更相似。几个数量上占优势的物种是栖息地专家。我们的结果证实，面对日益增加的人为威胁，需要进行大规模和局部的栖息地管理，以维持蜘蛛的多样性。植被高度与所有栖息地的物种丰富度和丰度呈正相关。在相同但地理上遥远的栖息地中的蜘蛛组合比相邻但不同的栖息地中的蜘蛛组合更相似。几个数量上占优势的物种是栖息地专家。我们的结果证实，面对日益增加的人为威胁，需要进行大规模和局部的栖息地管理，以维持蜘蛛的多样性。植被高度与所有栖息地的物种丰富度和丰度呈正相关。在相同但地理上遥远的栖息地中的蜘蛛组合比相邻但不同的栖息地中的蜘蛛组合更相似。几个数量上占优势的物种是栖息地专家。我们的结果证实，面对日益增加的人为威胁，需要进行大规模和局部的栖息地管理，以维持蜘蛛的多样性。