Introduction: More than 80 species of insects, spiders and millipedes ...

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Archbold’s burrowing wolf spider. ©Tim Lethbridge A student assistant collects samples from Townes trap at Carter Creek South. Small, rare wildlife: Scrub arthropods of the Lake Wales Ridge Introduction: More than 80 species of insects, spiders and millipedes living on Florida’s central Lake Wales Ridge (LWR) are restricted to Florida scrub habitat. Generally unnoticed, these small forms of wildlife go about their jobs as pollinators, decomposers, micro-grazers and mini-predators. They also serve as prey for larger scrub specialists such as Florida scrub lizards. Nobody knows to what extent scrub arthropods are protected within the small fraction of original scrubland that has been set aside as ecological preserves. Objectives: 1. Determine conservation status and obtain life history information for scrub-dependent arthropods at 20 protected sites along the LWR. 2. Build partnerships with arthropod specialists and land managers in the diverse LWR working group. 3. Publish a report on conservation status and management concerns or successes for LWR arthropods. Approach: Scrub-endemic arthropods will be sampled, stored and identifed, using methods that are unlikely to affect populations of arthropods. A searchable database and GIS shape-fles for all species and sites will be prepared. Student trainees and volunteers will assist. Workshops will be presented for interested parties, especially land managers. Species status reports will be prepared and the database will be disseminated. Benefts: This project will provide critical natural history information about scrub-endemic arthropods that will enable evaluation of their conservation status. It also will provide a model approach for arthropods surveys in other terrestrial habitats and for follow-up surveys on the LWR. It will establish new linkages between LWR managers and scientifc specialists. Location: Lake Wales Ridge, Central Florida. Contact: Mark Deyrup, Archbold Biological Station, mdeyrup@archbold- station.org This project was funded by the State Wildlife Grants Program under Florida’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative. Scrub long-legged fy Lake Wales Ridge velvet ant Scrub pygmy mole cricket Scrub robust click beetle

Transcript of Introduction: More than 80 species of insects, spiders and millipedes ...

Page 1: Introduction: More than 80 species of insects, spiders and millipedes ...

Archboldrsquos burrowing wolf spider copyTim Lethbridge A student assistant collects samples from Townes trap at Carter Creek South

Small rare wildlife Scrub arthropods of the Lake Wales Ridge Introduction More than 80 species of insects spiders and millipedes living on Floridarsquos central Lake Wales Ridge (LWR) are restricted to Florida scrub habitat Generally unnoticed these small forms of wildlife go about their jobs as pollinators decomposers micro-grazers and mini-predators They also serve as prey for larger scrub specialists such as Florida scrub lizards Nobody knows to what extent scrub arthropods are protected within the small fraction of original scrubland that has been set aside as ecological preserves

Objectives 1 Determine conservation status and obtain life history information for scrub-dependent arthropods at 20 protected sites along the LWR 2 Build partnerships with arthropod specialists and land managers in the diverse LWR working group 3 Publish a report on conservation status and management concerns or successes for LWR arthropods

Approach Scrub-endemic arthropods will be sampled stored and identified using methods that are unlikely to affect populations of arthropods A searchable database and GIS shape-files for all species and sites will be prepared Student trainees and volunteers will assist Workshops will be presented for interested parties especially land managers Species status reports will be prepared and the database will be disseminated

Benefits This project will provide critical natural history information about scrub-endemic arthropods that will enable evaluation of their conservation status It also will provide a model approach for arthropods surveys in other terrestrial habitats and for follow-up surveys on the LWR It will establish new linkages between LWR managers and scientific specialists

Location Lake Wales Ridge Central Florida

Contact Mark Deyrup Archbold Biological Station mdeyruparchbold-stationorg

This project was funded by the State Wildlife Grants Program under Floridarsquos Wildlife Legacy Initiative

Scrub long-legged fly Lake Wales Ridge velvet ant

Scrub pygmy mole cricket Scrub robust click beetle