Information use and density-dependent emigration in an agrobiont spider

Abstract

Density of conspecifics is considered as one of the main conditions affecting dispersal behavior and leading to a stabilization of population dynamics. Density-dependent dispersal can be induced by local competition at different phases during development and/or by density-related sources of social information. Here, we assessed the importance of population density on emigration rates and the degree to which the presence of silk threads at dispersal takeoff locations affects immediate dispersal decision making in the spider Erigone atra. By quantifying behaviors in wind tunnels under standardized laboratory conditions, silk-assisted long-and short-distance dispersal is quantified before the actual onset of the dispersal event.