Spider Conservation: Why Conserve Spiders?

Spiders, like many invertebrates, receive relatively little attention from the conservation community. Considering the high diversity of species ( ~34,000 species described and an estimated 170,000 extant species - Coddington and Levi, 1991), this may be a major oversight. In North America alone there are 3500 species (with more than 300 yet undescribed) (Roth 1993), yet coordinated conservation actions have been implemented for only two species. This may be due to fear and dislike of their appearance, behaviors, or venomous nature; the fact that most spiders are probably widely dispersed and not presumed to be threatened; or because relatively little is known about the distribution and abundance of these creatures. Most likely it is a combination of these factors. However none of these reasons seem sufficient to keep spiders off the conservation radar screen.

Clubiona stagnatilis Why conserve spiders? There are many reasons, even without considering that all species have intrinsic (existence) value in and of themselves. Spiders are clearly an integral part of global biodiversity since they play many important roles in ecosystems as predators and sources of food for other creatures. Spiders also have utilitarian (use) value. For many years spiders have been model organisms for research in ecology, behavior and communication. They may also be important as biological control agents in agroecosystems, providers of silk for materials science, and suppliers of venom for both medical and insecticide research. Some exciting research in these areas is currently underway (Visit some relevant links on these topics). Spiders as a group may even provide useful conservation tools as ecological indicators or in rapid biodiversity measurement.

What threats do spiders face? Many threats to spider diversity have been documented. The primary threat is habitat loss and degradation, as with many other elements of biodiversity. More specifically, some spiders have become imperiled due to urban development, land-use management techniques, air and groundwater pollution by pesticides and fertilizers, the introduction of alien species, and in some cases, collection and trafficking due to the pet trade. For a few species, these threats have pushed them to the threshold of extinction, attracting the attention of conservation professionals. (See what efforts are taking place). Many other species may be threatened, but research on them is lacking. Without the appropriate baseline information on status, distribution and abundance, it is difficult to target appropriate habitats for protection, develop appropriate management techniques, or consolidate the necessary resources for obtaining legal conservation status for these species.

(You can learn more about spider biology and related topics by visiting the long list of sites on the Spider (Araneae) page of the Arachnology Home Page or the excellent overview provided on the Aracnis site. )

Page administered by Kevin L. Skerl.

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Header image of Clubiona stagnatilis provided by Ed Nieuwenhuys. Visit his Spider Photo Gallery.
Spider animations in title created by Lisa Konrad at the Animation Arthouse.