DOI: 10.5061/dryad.8cz8w9h2p
title: Scale-dependent responses in spider and beetle communities to flooding: The role of dry refuges in wetlands

description: Flood disturbances act as strong filters on arthropod communities by
 excluding species that are not adapted to the high water tables. Sensitive
 species can survive in these areas by either migrating to more terrestrial
 habitats or by using dry refuges within the wetland created by
 topographical heterogeneity. In this study, we examined the role of such
 refugia and the scale at which these affect arthropod densities, mainly
 cursorial species, by using previous information on local dryness-wetness
 of wetlands, as expressed by inundation frequencies at a 2x2 m2
 resolution. By focusing on spiders and beetles, these studies indicate
 that species within Linyphiidae, Staphylinidae, and Chrysomelidae were
 more abundant in the presence of dry refuges at a scale of 10x10 m2,
 whereas Salticidae preferred wetter areas. Species within Carabidae,
 Lycosidae, and a number of other taxon groups were indifferent to these
 structures. Moreover, the data seem to suggest that mainly habitat
 generalists benefit from the refuges. Accordingly, those groups that were
 impartial to the dry refuges included almost exclusively species that can
 be categorised as wetland specialists. More generally, the small-scale
 variability in wetland dryness-wetness creating small-scale refuges may be
 important to consider for guiding contemporary efforts to restore wetlands
 as a means to promote biodiversity.
description: # Scale-dependent responses in spider and beetle communities to flooding:
 The role of dry refuges in wetlands
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8cz8w9h2p](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8cz8w9h2p) ## Description of the data and file structure Data from suction sampling of beetles and spiders in relation to the inundation frequency in the local pixel (2x2 m^2^) where samples were taken or in surrounding pixels (10x10 m^2^ ... 26x26 m^2^). All data were collected with a large fen, the Rastmyran wetland (60°07'35" N 17°53'56" E), which is situated two hours north of Stockholm. R scripts underlying the analyses are included in Rscript.txt Data is included in WetlandArthropods.xls This file contains environmental and species data for the 60 included sampling sites ### Files and variables #### File: WetlandArthropods.xlsx **Description:** This file contains environmental and species data for the 60 included sampling sites ##### Variables | **Variable** | **Description** | | :------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Site | Site ID | | Category | Wet-Dry category (local = 2x2 m^2^, surrounding = 6x6 m^2^). DD = dry locally, dry surrounding; DW = dry locally, wet surrounding; DDW = dry locally, dry/wet surrounding; WW = wet locally, wet surrounding; WD = wet locally, dry surrounding; WWD = wet locally, dry/wet surrounding. Wet = Inundation frequency &gt; 0.65; Dry = Inundation frequency &lt; 0.45. Inundation frequency is estimated at a scale of 2x2 m^2^ from March to October. | | Dry\_Prop\_2X2 | Local dry frequency (Inundation frequency &lt; 0.45) in 2x2 m^2^. – central pixel | | Dry\_Prop\_6X6 | Surrounding dry frequency (Inundation frequency &lt; 0.45) in 6x6 m^2^. | | Dry\_Prop\_10X10 | Surrounding dry frequency (Inundation frequency &lt; 0.45) in 10x10 m^2^. | | Dry\_Prop\_14X14 | Surrounding dry frequency (Inundation frequency &lt; 0.45) in 14x14 m^2^. | | Dry\_Prop\_18X18 | Surrounding dry frequency (Inundation frequency &lt; 0.45) in 18x18 m^2^. | | Dry\_Prop\_22X22 | Surrounding dry frequency (Inundation frequency &lt; 0.45) in 22x22 m^2^. | | Dry\_Prop\_26X26 | Surrounding dry frequency (Inundation frequency &lt; 0.45) in 26x26 m^2^. | | Perc\_Soc | Percent soil organic content estimated in the central pixel | | Avg\_Height | Average plant height estimated in the central pixel | | Density\_Spid | Total number of spiders | | Sp\_Rich\_Spid | Species richness of spiders | | Rarefied\_Richness\_Spid | Rarefied species richness of spiders | | Density\_Beetle | Total number of beetles | | Sp\_Rich\_Beetle | Species richness of beetles | | Rarefied\_Richness\_Beetle | Rarefied species richness of beetles | | Generalist\_Spider | Number of habitat generalists of spiders | | Wetland\_Spider | Number of wetland specialists among spiders | | Terrestrial\_Spider | Number of terrestrial specialists among spiders | | Ambush\_Hunter | Number of ambush hunters among spiders | | Ground\_Hunter | Number of ground hunters among spiders | | Orbweb\_Weavers | Number of orbweb weavers among spiders | | Other\_Hunters | Number of other hunters among spiders | | Sheetweb\_Weavers | Number of sheetweb weavers among spiders | | Spaceweb\_Weavers | Number of spaceweb weavers among spiders | | Generalist\_Beetle | Number of habitat generalists among beetles | | Wetland\_Beetle | Number of wetland specialists among beetles | | Terrestrial\_Beetle | Number of terrestrial specialists among beetles | | Carnivore\_Beetle | Number of carnivores among beetles | | Herbivore\_Beetle | Number of herbivores among beetles | | Omnivore\_Beetle | Number of omnivores among beetles | | Linyphiidae | Number of Linyphiidae (spider) | | Lycosidae | Number of Lycosidae (spider) | | Salticidae | Number of Salticidae (spider) | | Tetragnathidae | Number of Tetragnathidae (spider) | | Thomisidae | Number of Thomisidae (spider) | | Carabidae | Number of Carabidae (beetle) | | Chrysomelidae | Number of Chrysomelidae (beetle) | | Coccinellidae | Number of Coccinellidae (beetle) | | Curculionidae | Number of Curculionidae (beetle) | | Staphylinidae | Number of Staphylinidae (beetle) | | Bathyphantes | Number of *Bathyphantes* (Linyphiidae) | | Oedothorax | Number of *Oedothorax* (Linyphiidae) | | Porrhomma | Number of *Porrhomma* (Linyphiidae) | | Savignia | Number of *Savignia* (Linyphiidae) | | Silometopus | Number of *Silometopus* (Linyphiidae) | | Attulus | Number of *Attulus* (Salticidae) | | Marpissa | Number of *Marpissa* (Salticidae) | | Amischa | Number of *Amischa* (Staphylinidae) | | Erichsonius | Number of *Erichsonius* (Staphylinidae) | | Paederus | Number of *Paederus* (Staphylinidae) | | Rybaxis | Number of *Rybaxis* (Staphylinidae) | | Stenus | Number of *Stenus* (Staphylinidae) | | Agonum | Number of *Agonum* (Carabidae) | | Bembidion | Number of *Bembidion* (Carabidae) | | Oxypselaphus | Number of *Oxypselaphus* (Carabidae) | | Philorhizus | Number of *Philorhizus* (Carabidae) |