SZŐLŐÜLTETVÉNYEK TALAJFELSZÍNI PÓKFAUNÁJA A SZENT GYÖRGY-HEGYEN (BALATON-FELVIDÉK).

Epigeic spider (Araneae) fauna was studied in three vineyards with different types of cultivation on Szent György hill (Hegymagas, Balaton uplands), Hungary. The first vineyard was cultivated organically, the second one traditionally, where the pest management was based on broad-spectrum pesticides, while the third vineyard had been abandoned for three years. The sampling was carried out over two years (2006-2007), at monthly intervals from April to November, using 10 pitfall traps at each site. Altogether 95 spider species from 21 families were collected in the three vineyards, among which three (Talavera aperta, Zelotes exiguus and Ozyptila sanctuaria) is regarded as rare in Hungary. Our results showed that organic cultivation had a positive effect on the abundance, species richness and diversity of the epigeic spider assemblage compared to the other two vineyards. The organic and the traditionally cultivated vineyards have more natural and diverse spider assemblages and were more similar to each other in regard to species composition and dominance than to the abandoned plantation. The reason for this similarity may be related to the similar management, vegetation cover and microclimatic conditions of the two cultivated plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]