9509151 Hodge This research proposes to examine the role of intraguild predation (predatory interactions between different species which use similar resources) in determining the population dynamics of several congeneric species of wolf spiders and their prey. The goals of the project are to characterize the life histories of these spiders, and determine whether they interact as competitots, predators, or both. This will be accomplished using field enclosures in which the relative densities of digfferent species will be manipulated to test competing hypotheses. %%% This research will contribute to our understanding of food-web dynamics. Knowlewdge of the effects of competitive and predatory interactions among spiders has relevance in the larger context of determining the relative roles of top down versus bottom up effects in structuring food webs. ***
