Diversity of Carabidae in limestone quarries of South Moravia

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study of Carabid beetles in two limestone quarries in South Moravia. The first one was a limestone quarry pit called Lesní lom which is located approximately 1 km away from the northern edge of the city district of Brno-Líšeň. The second locality was a limestone quarry of Malá dohoda which is located in a protected landscape area in the northern part of Moravian Karst. Using formaldehyde pitfall traps, 1682 specimens belonging to 66 species were caught in 2012, out of which 847 specimens (49 species) were from the active quarry of Malá dohoda and 835 specimens (40 species) came from Lesní lom quarry which had already been closed for 15 years at the time of research. The most abundant species included Anchomenus dorsalis, Carabus ullrichii ullrichii, C. cancellatus, and Aptinus bombarda. Relict species collected were Aptinus bombarda, Leistus rufomarginatus, and Carabus irregularis irregularis which is together with C. cancellatus, and Cylindera germanica included in the Red List of the Czech Republic. Xerothermophilic species of Carabid beetles found refuge mainly in the quarry marginal sites. In the case of Malá dohoda quarry, the influence of the surrounding PLA Moravian Karst was evident in the distribution of Carabid beetles.