Responses of ground-dwelling spiders to four hedgerow species on sloped agricultural fields in southwest China

Published source details Wu Y.H., Cai Q.N., Lin C.W., Chen Y.B., Li Y.Y. & Cheng X. (2009) Responses of ground-dwelling spiders to four hedgerow species on sloped agricultural fields in southwest China. Progress in Natural Science, 19, 337-346.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

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	Plant new hedges Action Link

Plant new hedges

A randomised, replicated, controlled study in 2005-2007 in Sichuan, China (Wu et al. 2009) found similar activity densities of ground-dwelling spiders (Araneae) in plots with hedges (averaging 123-212 captures/3 pitfall traps) and control plots without hedges (118-208 captures). Vetiver Vetiveria zizanioides hedges had higher spider densities than false indigo-bush Amorpha fruticosa hedges (57 vs. 44 captures/3 traps) and alfalfa hedges had higher densities than sabaigrass hedges (140 vs. 108 captures) in wheat fields in 2006-2007. Differences in spider densities between hedges and adjacent crops (within plots) varied between years, crops and hedge types. All hedges had higher spider densities than wheat Triticum sp. (averaging 26-52 vs. 16-20 captures/3 traps) in 2005-2006 but in 2006-2007 only sabaigrass Eulaliopsis binate and alfalfa Medicago sativa hedges had higher densities (34-46 captures) than adjacent wheat (16-17 captures). Sabaigrass and alfalfa hedges had higher spider densities (35-46 captures) than maize Zea mays (21-23 captures) in 2006 but hedges had similar densities to maize in 2007. Vetiver hedges, false indigo-bush hedges and bare control strips were tested in one field and sabaigrass hedges, alfalfa hedges and control strips were tested in another. Fields were divided into 7 x 6.5 m plots with each treatment replicated three times.