Publication Details
Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
Title (Primary) Modelling individual variability in a social spider colony (Stegodyphus dumicola: Eresidae) in relation to food abundance and its allocation
Author Ulbrich, K.; Henschel, J.R.; Jeltsch, F.; Wissel, C.
Source Titel Revue suisse de zoologie
Year 1996
Department BZF; OESA
Volume Vol. hors série
Page From 661
Page To 670
Language englisch
Keywords individual-oriented model - social spiders - contest competition - scramble competition - individual variability - colony survival - Stegodyphus
Abstract Modelling individual variability in a social spider colony (Stegodyphus dumicola: Eresidae) in relation to food abundance and its allocation.An individual-oriented model is developed to describe the population dynamics of social spiders. As a consequence of group living, individuals affect each other's behaviour, development and reproduction. As an example, the spider Stegodyphus dumicola (Eresidae) is investigated. The survival and deveiopment of individual spiders and of the colony depends considerably on food availability. The model demonstrates that complex behavioural functions, such as competition over food, can lead to distinct individual variances in body-masses of spiders at all life stages. The model results confirm field observations about the association between contest competition and individual variability. Colonies in which individual · variability in body-masses was high due to contest competition survived longer in periods of food scarcity than colonies with scramble competition where the variability was lower.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=22405
Ulbrich, K., Henschel, J.R., Jeltsch, F., Wissel, C. (1996):
Modelling individual variability in a social spider colony (Stegodyphus dumicola: Eresidae) in relation to food abundance and its allocation
Rev. suisse zool. Vol. hors série , 661 - 670