Mini Post-Congress Excursion: Amazing Arachnids of Attenborough 10am Saturday 26th August 2017

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On Saturday 26th August there will be a visit to the Attenborough Nature Reserve for those of you who do not need to leave straight after the congress has finished. The reserve is only a short bus ride away from the University (10 minutes).

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Attenborough Nature Reserve is one of the most important nature conservation sites in the East Midlands. In 1929 sand and gravel extraction began, providing materials and infrastructure in the Nottingham area. After a period of restoration, the mosaic of  water-filled pits, islands and meadows provide food, shelter and freedom from disturbance for many species of wildlife.

 

Attenborough is best known for its birds. Over 250 species have been recorded here. One of the most important visitors to the Reserve is the bittern, a secretive member of the heron family - now one of the most threatened bird species in the UK.

 

In summer the Reserve is a hive of activity with butterflies, dragonflies, over 100 species of hoverfly and over 500 species of moth present. Badgers, foxes, voles, otters and 10 species of bat also make their home here. The flora of Attenborough is of county importance with over 450 species of plant recorded - including many wetland specialists.

 

Very few studies of spiders have been undertaken at Attenborough. The Reserve's list currently stands at fewer than 75 species. Through this event it is hoped there will be an increased interest in spider recording on the site, and there are possibly many hundreds of new species waiting to be discovered!

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More details will be available at the conference, where there will be a sign up sheet to register your interest.

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https://www.eventsoja.com/uk/attenborough/e7813658

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http://www.attenboroughnaturecentre.co.uk/your-visit/

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Special symposia

 

We are very pleased to announce the following special symposia:

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1. 'Predatory effect of spiders on prey populations'

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Please indicate in your abstract submission if you would like your talk to be considered for inclusion in this set of talks.

Further information can also be obtained from the organiser, Dr. Ferenc Samu (feri.samu@gmail.com); Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary.

 

Symposium abstract: Spiders are predatory animals by-and-large, and their predatory effect has always been in the focus of arachnological research. However, predator-prey interactions have many aspects and consequences which attract fresh scientific interest. The goal of the symposium is to gather reports about the various facets of the predatory effect of spiders on prey populations, including population dynamics, mass effects, cascading effect in food-web studies, non-consumptive effect of spiders, prey range and specialization, molecular methods and application in biological control and elsewhere.

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2. 'Recording and mapping European spiders'

 

Organiser: Tony Russell-Smith

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​Keynote speaker

Peter Harvey (UK Spider Recording Survey http://www.arachnida.org.uk/)

 

Other speakers

Theo Blick (German scheme http://atlas.arages.de/)

Maria Chatzaki (Greek scheme http://www.araneae.unibe.ch/spidonet/list)

Sam Danflous (Midi-Pyrenees scheme http://www.cen-mp.org/observations/araignees/)

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