Spider communities as tools in monitoring reclaimed limestone quarry landforms

Spider communities are sensitive to a wide range of environmental factors a nd are potential ecological indicators which may be effective in the assess ment and monitoring of restored ecosystems. One restoration technique of di sused limestone quarry faces, landform replication, attempts to create land forms and ecosystems similar to those found on natural dalesides. Vegetatio n surveys indicate that communities developing on landform replications are more closely allied to natural dalesides than are those of naturally recol onised disused quarries. Assessment of the spider communities of three land form replication sites, a natural limestone daleside and seven naturally re colonised disused limestone quarries, using DECORANA and TWINSPAN, produced differing patterns of sites than those observed through the assessment of the vegetation communities. DECORANA assessment based on vascular plant spe cies composition highlights the similarities between daleside and reclaimed site communities. The sensitivity of spider communities to vegetation stru cture and extent of bare ground highlights differences between sites and pr ovides evidence of important differences in vegetation community developmen t particularly in relation to cover and structure. Implications for the ass essment of reclamation and restoration techniques are discussed.