obituary, bibliography

congress report, ecological classification of spiders

Two different approaches of transferring research-data into diagrams are explained. Using an example from foodplain stands of the river Oder (National Park 'Lower Oder Valley'), the possible implications on and differences in the interpretation of the results, depending on the chosen method, are discussed.

In 1995 the spider coenosis of two differently managed forest areas with Querco-Carpinetum communities were investigated near Bonn. In order to collect the canopy and trunk fauna two trunk-photo-eclectors and six bough-photo-eclectors were used in each study site. According to the PLATEN ecotype sysem, 16 different ecotypes of spiders were found. The highest abundances of both species and individuals were recorded for excusively arboricolous and for bark inhabiting spiders. Against the expectations a high number of non-arboricolous species and many xerophilous woodland inhabiting spiders were found. According to the PLATEN ecotype system, the latter are actually typical for mixed pine forests. The PLATEN ecotype system showed clear differences between the strata, but not between the study areas.

A classification method for ascertaining characteristical spider communities of different biotope types is presented. Based on a current list of biotope types all data available from a certain area about the spatial distribution of spiders were fed into a data bank an analysed. A largely standardized method has been developed which allows to classify the spider community of each biotope type. The classification is based on a presence/absence matrix and a comparison between the grades of presence in different biotope types.

A descriptive model of primary succession of spiders on a brown-coal dump is presented. Multivariate methods (cluster analysis and detrended correspondence analysis), and community indexes were applied to evaluate changes in community composition of epigeic spiders. Two different rehabilitation age stages were investigated. The cluster analysis helped to determine a case of horizontal asynchronous succession. The DCA was able to distinguish divergent trends of succession from the initial stage. Successional trends in species replacements were observed. In all aspects of succession there was found to be directional towards a "ruderal steppe" subclimax.

Spiders of dry, unfertilized grasslands in the Cantons of Geneva and Vaud (Switzerland) – species lists

First record of Aulonia kratochvili (Araneae, Lycosidae) from Europe

Observations on Troxochrus nasutus (Araneae: Linyphiidae)

acknowledgement [concerning help for: Noordam AP (ed.): Roberts MJ 1998 Spinnengids. Tirion Natuur Baarn, Netherlands. 397 pp.]

Request for material of Drassodes cupreus/lapidosus

request: registration of unpublished arachnid data (Araneae, Pseudoscorpiones, Opiliones) in the northern Alps, Germany