The Impact of Rising Temperatures on Wolf Spider Phenology

Abstract

Record ID: 278

Award(s): Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship

Program Affiliation: Capstone

Presentation Type: Poster

Abstract: Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time, and accelerating global warming is a destabilizing factor for ecosystems in every corner of the world. As ectotherms, invertebrates are expected to be affected by our changing climate, with warmer temperatures causing faster growth rates. The goal of this research is to understand what impact rising temperatures due to climate change have had on the phenology, or annual life cycle of the wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata. In order to quantify this relationship, molt records of spiders collected from the Cincinnati Nature Center as part of ongoing research from 2001 to 2023 were evaluated. From each year, four dates were obtained: the dates when the first male and first female matured, and the dates when half of the male and half of the female populations had matured. Growing degree days (GDD), a measure of heat accumulation, were calculated for each year prior to the start of maturation to determine the relationship between temperature and maturation rate. The results show a strong correlation between cumulative GDD and advanced maturation dates, with both male and female wolf spiders maturing 25 to 30 days earlier today than in 2001. These findings are clear evidence that rising temperatures are having a significant effect on the phenology of wolf spiders and underscore the importance of further investigation into the impacts of climate change on invertebrate populations around the world.