Impact of a Catastrophic Natural Disturbance on Fluctuating Asymmetry (FA) in a Wolf Spider

• Published in: Écoscience (Sainte-Foy) Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 379 - 386
• Main Authors: Uetz, George W., Roberts, J. Andrew, Wrinn, Kerri M., Polak, Michal, Cameron, Guy N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Université Laval 01.09.2009; Universitéé Laval; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Animals; araignées; Araneae; Arthropoda; arthropods; asymétrie fluctuante; Body condition; body size; developmental instability; Ecological disturbance; Ecological genetics; ecosystems; environmental indicators; Femur; fluctuating asymmetry; Forest ecosystems; Forest habitats; forests; image analysis; instabilité liée au développement; large infrequent disturbances (LID); Legs; Lycosidae; males; ornamental value; perturbations majeures peu fréquentes; pitfall traps; Schizocosa; Spiders; spring; tornade; tornado; Wolves

Animals subject to environmental stress often exhibit higher levels of developmental instability, frequently measured as Fluctuating Asymmetry (FA), small, random deviations from perfect left-right symmetry in bilaterally symmetrical animals. We used FA measurement as a means of determining the impa...