One of our most reclusive critters, the rain-hating trapdoor spider, has become the latest native species singled out by scientists as threatened by climate change. Photo / Supplied
One of our most reclusive critters, the rain-hating trapdoor spider, has become the latest native species singled out by scientists as threatened by climate change. Photo / Supplied
One of our most reclusive critters, the rain-hating trapdoor spider, has become the latest native species singled out by scientists as threatened by climate change.
Named for their quirk of springing out from concealed burrows to capture unsuspecting prey, trapdoor spiders are today found across the country.
But a Lincoln University researcher says models of future climate change are bad news for the insects, threatening populations on the West Coast, and in Tasman, Central Otago and Southland with increased rainfall and making them less habitable.
"The spiders were more likely to be present where the rainfall was below 1000mm per year, and no populations were found in areas with more than 3000mm per year," Dr Vikki Smith said.
"They can cope with brief periods of intense rainfall, but constant high levels may cause harmful fungus to grow quickly in their burrows, or it may affect their ability to catch prey.
"I have noticed that trapdoor spiders will not catch prey on rainy nights."
What it would mean to lose the species wasn't fully clear, but Smith said they were "vital" to their ecosystems.
"They control insect populations, provide food for birds and lizards, and are hosts for at least three different parasites - wasps, fungi, and worms," she said.
"Losing trapdoor spiders would remove a food source for native animals, which may put increased pressure on their other food sources, particularly spiders."
Insect populations could increase due to the removal of a major predator, which may put more pressure on their food sources, such as native plants.
"Parasitic wasps, fungi, and worms would be particularly badly affected.
"Some may rely entirely on trapdoor spiders for reproduction, and may therefore become locally extinct, while others will have to use alternative hosts, including other native spiders."
Future climate change could also threaten many other species.
"It's hard to tell what effect climate change will have on our native species, but marine and coastal species are most likely to be affected due to changes in sea level and temperature, according to climate models."
Other scientists have pointed to a range of species being affected, among them the sooty shearwater, rockhopper penguin, deep corals, humpback whales - even the native bee.
"Tuatara may be affected badly as the sex of an embryo is determined by incubation temperature, and tuatara have long generation times and little genetic diversity so their adaptability is limited," Smith said.
However, invasive species and habitat loss remain the greatest threats to native New Zealand species in general.
A Victoria University study published last month also suggested ancient forests on the West Coast may be under threat from climate change in the near future, with native trees such as rimu likely to suffer if the world warmed by another 1.5C.
