Forest spider data to study the response of assemblages to regional and local processes

Understanding species richness variation among local communities is one of
the central topics in ecology, but the complex interplay of regional
processes, environmental filtering and local processes hampers
generalization on the importance of different processes. Here, we aim
to  unravel drivers of spider community assembly in temperate
forests by analyzing two independent data sets covering gradients in
elevation and forest succession. We test the following four hypotheses:
(H1) Spider assemblages within a region are limited by dispersal; (H2)
Local environment has a disproportionate influence on species composition;
and (H3) resources and (H4) biotic interactions both affect species
richness patterns. Spider data were collected by pitfall traps in two
independent projects within a region along elevation and canopy cover
gradients.