agro-ecosystems

A new study published in the open-access Biodiversity Data Journal suggests that spider webs – particularly those incorporating environmental debris – can serve as natural, non-destructive collectors of fungal material in agricultural ecosystems. The findings show that viable fungi can be recovered from these structures, including lineages that may represent previously undocumented diversity.

“Spider webs are often overlooked structures in the environment, yet they can function as natural collectors of biological material. Our findings suggest that they can be used as a complementary approach to access microbial communities without disturbing the surrounding ecosystem.”
Thanakron Into (Student at Thammasat University)

Researchers from Thammasat University and the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), Thailand, investigated whether the adhesive and particle-trapping properties of spider silk could be used to capture and culture fungi associated with airborne and environmental particles. Unlike DNA-based methods, which detect genetic material regardless of viability, this approach allows for the recovery of living organisms that can be further studied.

The study focused on tropical rice fields, using webs of the orb-weaving spider Cyclosa mulmeinensis, a species known for constructing distinctive “trashline” decorations – linear accumulations of plant fragments, insect remains, and other debris within the web. These structures can intercept a variety of particles, some of which may carry fungal propagules.

Representative orb webs of *Cyclosa* *mulmeinensis* illustrating web architecture and debris decoration. Image credit: Thanakron Into et al.

Webs were collected from rice-field embankments in Pathum Thani, Nakhon Nayok, and Phetchaburi provinces using sterile techniques. In the laboratory, material retained on the silk was gently removed and cultured, yielding 112 viable fungal isolates. These isolates were grouped into 23 taxa across six genera, including Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Talaromyces.

“We were particularly surprised that many of the fungi recovered from the webs remained viable and could be cultured. This enables further investigation beyond presence or absence, including their biological characteristics.”
Thanakron Into

Locations of paddy fields where *Cyclosa* *mulmeinensis* spider webs were collected in Thailand (left). Composition of culturable fungal taxa across genera in individual sampled webs, expressed as the number of taxa recovered per web (right). Image credit: Thanakron Into et al.

Some genetic lineages – particularly within Cladosporium and Talaromyces – did not match currently described species in available databases, indicating that additional, undocumented diversity may be present in these systems.

Conventional approaches to fungal monitoring typically rely on soil, air, or plant sampling, or on molecular methods that may not distinguish between living and non-living material. In this context, spider webs may provide a useful supplementary sampling surface for capturing biologically relevant particles.

Because spider webs are naturally maintained and, in some species, periodically rebuilt, this method can be applied with minimal disturbance to both the organisms and their environment. Importantly, the spiders themselves were not harmed during sampling, as only small sections of the web were collected.

“The ability to recover living fungi from these naturally occurring structures adds a practical dimension to biodiversity studies. It provides a way to link environmental sampling with downstream biological work.”
Thanakron Into

The idea that something as familiar as a spider web could quietly capture a hidden layer of biodiversity highlights how much of the natural world remains overlooked in plain sight.

While further work is needed to evaluate how broadly this approach can be applied, the study demonstrates the potential of spider webs as an additional tool for exploring microbial diversity in agricultural landscapes.

Diagram displaying an overview of the study. Image credit: Booppa Petcharad.

Original source:

Into T, Petcharad B, Boonyuen N, Chanklan R, Pannanusorn S, Mongkolsamrit S, Kobmoo N, Nuankaew S, Kwanthong P (2026) Spider webs as reservoirs of culturable fungal diversity: evidence from orb-weaving Cyclosa mulmeinensis spider in Thai rice agroecosystems. Biodiversity Data Journal 14: e187035. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.14.e187035

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Guest blog post by Lina Rinne

I was introduced to the island of Lemnos during a university field trip in 2024, while I was still a master’s student. At the time, I admittedly questioned Erwin’s and Stefan’s choice of destination—why not go to a “cool” island like Crete? However, now, after two visits to Lemnos, I have to say that this island is very special. As my very first scientific publication focuses on this island—and was selected as an Editors’ Choice paper in the last quarter of 2025—Lemnos will always have a place in my heart.

The path to that publication was anything but straightforward. Fortunately, my supervisors and co-authors, Erwin and Stefan, supported me throughout the entire process.

Erwin Bergmeier and Stefan Meyer are well known to researchers working on arable plant diversity, whether in Greece, Germany, or beyond. They have been involved in numerous projects, and only a few people know arable fields, their plant species, and communities better than they do.

Their work on Lemnos began in 2018 as part of the Terra Lemnia project , a local initiative established by the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (MedINA). The project aims to understand and preserve the island’s arable plant diversity and to support farmers to maintain the less intensive, “traditional” agriculture on the island.

beautiful barley field with a rich diversity of arable plants — Barley field with a rich diversity of arable plants, among others *Papaver rhoeas*, *Rapistrum rugosum*, *Glebionis segetum*, and *Agrostemma githago*, Lemnos, May 2025. The harsh volcanic landscape of the Fakos peninsula is visible in the background (photo credit: Lina Rinne)

On Lemnos, most agricultural fields are used to grow rain-fed fodder crops for sheep and goats. As they are mainly interested in biomass, eradicating wild arable plants (“weeds”) would be more costly than simply tolerating them. This farming reality has allowed an exceptionally high diversity of arable plants to persist—a central focus of our study.

During the master’s field trip in spring 2024, Erwin and Stefan introduced us to the island, the Terra Lemnia project, and local farmers. We explored a wide range of landscapes and attractions: the medieval castle overlooking the island’s capital Myrina, the wetlands and salt lakes in eastern Lemnos, the Ammothínes—striking inland sand dunes resembling a small desert—and Poliochni, often referred to as the “oldest city in Europe”.

At the time, arable plants played only a minor role in my perception, and I certainly did not expect that my academic journey would soon lead me back to Lemnos—and specifically to its agricultural fields.

That changed when I started my PhD in July 2024 with a research focus on Greek agro-ecosystems. We decided to use Lemnos as the basis for my first publication, contributing to the VCS Special Collection “Vegetation classification of islands and archipelagos”. Given my familiarity with the island and the extensive vegetation survey data collected by Erwin and Stefan over several years, it was the perfect starting point.

In January 2025, Erwin and Stefan handed me their dataset, wished me “good luck,” and I began working through the data in R. It was a learning process in every sense. Many species were unfamiliar to me, and even online resources did not always provide clear answers. Gradually, however, my understanding of the data—and of the community patterns it contained—improved. This was greatly helped by accompanying Erwin and Stefan during their fieldwork on Lesvos and Lemnos in spring 2025.

Standing in the agricultural fields and seeing species I had previously known only from spreadsheets and photographs brought the data to life. It also reinforced just how unusual Lemnos is from a Central European perspective. Many people of my generation grew up surrounded by heavily managed and sprayed fields, where a single red poppy is a photo-worthy sight.

In contrast, the cereal and pulse fields of Lemnos are colorful: yellow Brassicaceae grow alongside seas of red poppies, the pink flowers of Agrostemma githago (which is basically eradicated in Germany), and so many Trifolium species that it was difficult to keep track of them all.

Erwin Bergmeier conducting a vegetation survey on a rotational fallow dominated by *Anchusa hybrida* in front of a small Greek chapel on Lemnos, May 2025 (photo credit: Lina Rinne)

During our fieldwork, I learned a lot from Erwin and Stefan. We sampled additional fields for our study, and Erwin pointed out the soil differences (from sandy to loamy) that translated into the vegetation patterns revealed in the data analysis. I also took many pictures and notes to remember the fields and the species.

Fieldwork in Greece, of course, also comes with its own rewards: bathing in hot springs or the Mediterranean Sea, enjoying local dishes grown on the very fields we studied, encountering rare and fascinating bird species (including flamingos!), and meeting local colleagues and friends. Some of them joined us during fieldwork or helped us talk to local farmers, which provided valuable insight into agricultural management practices on the island and their socio-ecological context.

Back in Germany, it was time for a major overhaul of the analyses and manuscript. I incorporated what I had learned during fieldwork, and together with my co-authors, we integrated their extensive knowledge of Lemnos’ agro-ecosystems and arable plant communities.

By May, the writing and revision process was in full swing. Drafting, discussing, revising, and finalizing figures and tables continued until July, when we finally submitted the manuscript to Vegetation Classification and Survey.

As my first publication, the peer-review and production process has been a steep learning experience, involving multiple rounds of revisions and corrections. In the end, however, it was immensely rewarding.

We are very happy to have drawn attention to this remarkable island and to the often-overlooked topic of arable plant biodiversity. Lemnos is well worth visiting in spring (or any other season)—whether for its colorful fields, the diversity of migrating birds, unique landscapes, historical landmarks, or great food. Just be prepared for strong winds and surprisingly cold temperatures; at times, I wore nearly all my clothes at once to stay warm.

Original source:

Rinne, L., Meyer, S. and Bergmeier, E. (2025). Soil and season shape less intensively managed agro-ecosystems of a Mediterranean island—Insights from Lemnos (Greece). Vegetation Classification and Survey, 6, pp.253–271. doi: https://doi.org/10.3897/vcs.164437

Tag: agro-ecosystems

From Spider Silk to Science: A New Way to Access Hidden Fungal Diversity

From field trip to first paper: the colorful arable fields of Lemnos, Greece