IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcli/v14y2024i2d10.1038_s41558-023-01918-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Warming causes contrasting spider behavioural responses by changing their prey size spectra

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaoli Hu

    (Nanjing University)

  • Xinwei Wu

    (Nanjing University)

  • Qingping Zhou

    (Southwest Minzu University)

  • Karl J. Niklas

    (Cornell University)

  • Lin Jiang

    (Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Nico Eisenhauer

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Leipzig University)

  • Peter B. Reich

    (University of Michigan
    University of Minnesota)

  • Shucun Sun

    (Nanjing University)

Abstract

Predators may adapt to global warming via behavioural plasticity. However, empirical evidence showing such adaptations in terrestrial ecosystems is scarce. Here we report behavioural shifts that alter the web mesh size of two dominant predatory spider species in response to experimental warming in an alpine meadow field. Experimental large open-top chambers increased the mean annual air temperature by 0.6 °C, resulting in a decrease in the web mesh size of the large spider (−43.6%), and an increase in the web mesh size of the small spider (+79.8%). Structural equation models indicated that the changes in mesh size and web area were primarily the result of warming-induced changes in prey size spectra, which in turn were impacted by warming-induced changes in soil moisture and plant community. These results indicate that predators can adjust their behavioural responses to warming-induced changes in the physical setting and prey community.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaoli Hu & Xinwei Wu & Qingping Zhou & Karl J. Niklas & Lin Jiang & Nico Eisenhauer & Peter B. Reich & Shucun Sun, 2024. "Warming causes contrasting spider behavioural responses by changing their prey size spectra," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 14(2), pages 190-197, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:14:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1038_s41558-023-01918-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-023-01918-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-023-01918-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41558-023-01918-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:14:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1038_s41558-023-01918-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.