Effects of Surveying for the Federally Endangered Spruce-fir Moss Spider (Microhexura montivaga Crosby & Bishop) on its Bryophyte Habitat

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dc.contributor.authorDiggins, Corinne A.en
dc.contributor.authorFord, W. Marken
dc.contributor.departmentFish and Wildlife Conservationen
dc.date.accessioned2021-07-13T18:18:18Zen
dc.date.available2021-07-13T18:18:18Zen
dc.date.issued2021-03en
dc.description.abstractMicrohexura montivaga (Spruce-fir Moss Spider) is a federally endangered arachnid endemic to high-elevation montane conifer forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains. The spider is cryptic and difficult to monitor because this species lives in the interface between the bryophyte mat and the rock surface. Since temporary removal of the bryophyte mat is necessary to monitor the spider. surveyors may negatively impact the spider's habitat during monitoring. To help inform survey protocol for this endangered species, we studied reattachment rates of bryophyte mats to rock surfaces after their removal. In 2017, we surveyed sixty 10 cm x 10 cm plots, assigning a plot to either control or treatment (i.e., application of water post-reattachment). We monitored plots for 1 year post-survey to determine reattachment rates. The majority of plots (70%) reestablished after 1 year, whereas 15% did not reattach or showed substantial prolonged (e.g., similar to 1 year) desiccation and 15% completely fell off or had 100% prolonged desiccation and were chlorotic. We found that mat depth and overstory canopy cover had no effect on mat reestablishment, although bryophyte type did. We found no difference between treatment and control plots, suggesting that no treatment is needed for mats to reestablish under the conditions described. Rock slope significantly influenced reestablishment rates, highlighting that surveying bryophyte mats on slopes >80% may diminish or destroy habitat. Further research is needed to determine long-term monitoring effects on the spider and its habitat, especially in relation to disturbance regimes and ecological restoration of Picea rubens (Red Spruce).en
dc.description.adminPublic domain – authored by a U.S. government employeeen
dc.description.notesWe thank Sue Cameron, Fred Coyle, Sheryl Bryan, and Gary Kauffman for their assistance and thoughtful insight over the duration of this project. Foster Levy, Andrew Landsman, and two anonymous reviewers provided comments that improved this manuscript. This research was funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Asheville Field Office (FWS Agreement #4500085700). Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government. All work was conducted under US Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Permit #YE34778A-2. The authors declare no conflicts of interest relating to this work.en
dc.description.sponsorshipUS Fish and Wildlife Service Asheville Field Office (FWS) [4500085700]en
dc.description.versionPublished versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1656/058.020.0106en
dc.identifier.eissn1938-5412en
dc.identifier.issn1528-7092en
dc.identifier.issue1en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/104151en
dc.identifier.volume20en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.rightsPublic Domainen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/en
dc.titleEffects of Surveying for the Federally Endangered Spruce-fir Moss Spider (Microhexura montivaga Crosby & Bishop) on its Bryophyte Habitaten
dc.title.serialSoutheastern Naturalisten
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
dc.type.dcmitypeStillImageen

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