The habitat heterogeneity hypothesis states that the more complex the habitat, the higher the species diversity and structure. The present study analyses the effect of local habitat factors on regional spider richness and diversity. The objective is to untangle the relative importance of habitat structure and other environmental variables. Richness and diversity values of the spider species and family were modeled using multiple regression and a set of independent variables extracted from NMS ordination of vegetation, microclimate and disturbance variables. Vegetation structure, especially height variation in shrubs, plant species richness, tree and shrub densities were found to be important predictors for richness and diversity. The species and family composition is highly influenced by vegetation cover, litter cover and management intensity. Here I also examine the efficacy of spider assemblages as ecological indicators of habitat condition. Using correspondence analysis and weighted averaging, I identified potential indicator species (13 species out of 65 species analyzed) and showed gradients in response to reflect overall habitat condition.
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