Assemblages of carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in humid forest habitats of different stages of succession in the Puszcza Knyszyńska Forest (northeastern Poland)

Adam Kwiatkowski

doi:10.3897/zookeys.100.1539

Abstract

During a period of three years (2006–2008) the carabid fauna in wet and humid forest habitats of different stages of succession was studied at the Puszcza Knyszynska (north-east part of Poland). The aim of this study was to determine how the assemblages of the carabid fauna change in relation to the ongoing process of succession. Using pitfall traps, 24 plots were sampled. The plots were located in stands of different age, from two year old plantations to more than 100 year old forests. Additionally, the stands were ordered in three moisture classes (wet, humid and very humid) and two classes of soil richness. As indicators for change in the carabid fauna in relation to age of the stands Mean Individual Biomass (MIB), species diversity and share of forest species were used. By applying multivariate statistics the relation of the different habitat characteristics to changes in the carabid fauna was examined. During the study 8903 individuals belonging to 57 species were collected. Pterostichus niger represented 28% of the total catches and therefore the most common species. Another common species, Pterostichus melanarius, contributed to 13% of the total catch. This species was caught at every plot, even in the old forests. In contrast to the results obtained by Szyszko (1990) for fresh and dry pine stands, in this study the relation of MIB with the age of forest was not significant. Although the number of species was rather constant, the number of individuals belonging to the group of forest species significantly increased with the ageing of the forest. The multivariate analysis showed a relationship with ageing of the stands and soil richness rather than with moisture and size of the forest. According to the present paper, clear cuttings in wet and humid habitats do not cause a strong degradation of the carabid fauna.

Highlights

Carabid beetles represent one of the largest groups of animals, occurring in almost every type of terrestrial habitat
The units were classified with respect to moisture conditions and soil richness (Table 1) to the periodical inventories of forest habitats and forest resources done for the forest district Czarna Białostocka (Biuro Urządzania Lasu i Geodezji Leśnej Białystok 2006)
With increasing age of the forest stands the share of forest species increased significantly from below 50% in the young stands to almost 90 % in the older stands

Summary

Introduction

Carabid beetles represent one of the largest groups of animals, occurring in almost every type of terrestrial habitat. In Poland over 500 species of these insects are recorded (Burakowski et al 1973, 1974). The reaction of these animals to environmental changes is fast and pronounced. Habitat changes may be natural due to succession, or anthropogenic due to human management. AT each stage of succession, carabid beetles are characterised specific assemblages. This group of animals can be used as an indicator of environmental changes (Rainio and Niemelä 2003, Pearce and Venier 2006)

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