Abstract
Simple SummaryLong-term studies on insect diversity trends are rare, especially in steppe ecosystems. To gain insights into carabid beetle diversity trends in steppe grasslands, we analyzed data on carabids from a trapping study that ran for 12 years in the grasslands of northwestern China. We found that species abundance and richness declined over time. The results of this study suggest that precipitation may play a role in changing species dynamics. This study emphasizes the urgent need to protect carabid communities in steppe ecosystems.Ground-dwelling beetles are important functional components in nutrient-poor grasslands of middle temperate steppe ecosystems in China. Here, we assessed the changes in ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities in the grasslands of northwestern China over 12 years to improve the management and conservation of beetles all over the world. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was applied to estimate the changes in carabid beetle communities in two regions: a desert steppe (Yanchi region), and a typical steppe and meadow steppe (Guyuan region). During the 12-year investigation, a total of 34 species were captured. We found that species abundance and richness per survey declined by 0.2 and 11.2%, respectively. Precipitation was the main factor affecting the distribution of carabid beetles. A distinct decline in carabid beetle species in the Yanchi region indicated that they may be threatened by less precipitation and loss of habitat, which could be due to climate change. Overall, species richness was stable in the Guyuan region. It is necessary to estimate and monitor the changes in carabid beetle communities in a temperate steppe of northern China and to protect them. Extensive desertification seriously threatens the distribution of carabid beetles. Future research should develop methods to protect carabid beetle communities in temperate steppes in China.
Highlights
It is well known that the loss of insects has a serious impact on ecosystem function [1], as insects play a central role in ecosystems, in terms of pollination and nutrient cycling [2,3,4,5]
Consistent with recent long-term studies of insects, we observed a decline in species richness and abundance, which were in accordance with other studies on insect taxa, such as moths, butterflies, and bees [24]
Our findings show that the carabid beetle assemblage of Yanchi region (YC) suffers serious threats and declines in species and abundance caused by precipitation and soil temperature
Summary
It is well known that the loss of insects has a serious impact on ecosystem function [1], as insects play a central role in ecosystems, in terms of pollination and nutrient cycling [2,3,4,5]and has a significant economic impact [6,7,8]. It is well known that the loss of insects has a serious impact on ecosystem function [1], as insects play a central role in ecosystems, in terms of pollination and nutrient cycling [2,3,4,5]. Dramatic declines in insect abundance and richness have caused widespread concerns among ecologists and insect scientists. Declines in the number of insects have been confirmed worldwide [11,12,13,14] These declines can potentially threaten ecological ecosystems [15]. Given the current rate of global environmental change, quantifying changes in species abundance is critical in assessing ecosystem impacts. Preserving insect abundance and richness is critical in the development of conservation strategies in grassland ecosystems
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