Altitudinal distribution of harvestmen [Euchelicerata: Opiliones] in Slovakia

The influence of altitude on the distribution of harvestmen (Opiliones) and on their species diversity in Slovakia was studied. The data were obtained from the numerous published sources and from the unpublished results of the author’s own research activity. These basic results include the findings of 32 species from 680 localities, located unevenly in all the altitudinal vegetation zones of Slovakia at elevations from 107 to 2100 m a.s.l. The sampling area represents almost all the territory of Slovakia. The harvestmen were collected in a wide scale of various types of indigenous terrestrial biotopes including open land, forest ecosystems, agricultural country and urban habitats. The most of the studied species of harvestmen are distributed in a wide elevation range. The model of the altitudinal trend in the harvestmen species diversity has a shape of the single-peaked curve with the peak between 500 and 600 m a.s.l. The reduced richness of species at lower altitudescould be caused by the intensive agricultural activity in these regions. The range of area altitudinal zones 500–12 000 km2 does not show a significant influence on the species diversity of harvestmen.