Effect of Organic and Conventional Farming on the Activity of Spider Assemblage (Araneae) in Some Medicinal Plants in Fayoum-Egypt

Document Type : Original research articles

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Plant Protection Research Institute, A. R. C. Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Spider activity occurred on three medicinal plants (Wormwood, Chrysanthemum and Spearmint) with organic and inorganic fertility was assessed using pitfall traps in Fayoum, Egypt. Community composition of the organic and the conventional cultivation of collected spiders were determined throughout the period of study using the Shannon-Wiener and Simpson Indices of diversity. Totals of 387 and 350 individuals including 20 and 24 species in the organic and the conventional cultivation, respectively, were of higher diversity index in the conventional system. According to Simpson, it was found that organic cultivation included the highest number of dominant species. Most species caught belonged to the family Lycosidae with especial high captures of Wadicosa fidelis and Pardosa species. Sorensen Quotient of Similarity concluded that the two communities were nearly approximate, as they recorded 64 % of similarity. The monthly fluctuation of the total number of spiders showed high population in March.

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