Abstract
The entomological material was collected in the years 2009–2012 and 2014 from 13 different habitat types from three localities in south-eastern Poland. In total, 11,095 Silphidae were collected. This study examined whether the percentage of individual soil granulometric fractions was significantly related to the total abundance of collected Silphidae and individual carrion beetle species. A positive correlation and a statistically significant correlation were found between the total number of specimens collected and the share of the mechanical fraction with a diameter of 0.05–0.002 mm (silt fraction). In three species, a statistically significant correlation was demonstrated between the number of collected Silphidae and the share of the mechanical fraction with a diameter of 2–0.05 mm (sand fraction). The two species Phosphuga atrata atrata and Nicrophorus vespilloides the correlation was positive. A statistically significant relationship was also observed for Thanatophilus sinuatus, but the correlation was negative. With regard to the mechanical fraction with a diameter <0.002 mm (clay fraction), a statistically significant relationship was demonstrated for Oiceoptoma thoracicum and for Nicrophorus vespilloides for which the correlation was negative. However, a positive correlation was found for T. sinuatus in this case.
Highlights
Taxa of epigeic insects belonging to the carrion beetle family (Coleoptera: Silphidae) are associated with the presence of carrion [1,2,3], which constitutes a valuable but unstable source of nutrients for them
The results of the granulometric composition for soil samples from the test areas are presented in Table 2 and Figure 4
We found a positive correlation with N. humator, but the correlation was insignificant
Summary
Taxa of epigeic insects belonging to the carrion beetle family (Coleoptera: Silphidae) are associated with the presence of carrion [1,2,3], which constitutes a valuable but unstable source of nutrients for them. Smaller particles (clays) having higher specific surface area than sand particles These surfaces hold water through adhesion, exchange nutrients, and provide surfaces to which organic matter can attach. Sandy soils (>90% sand) have low specific surface area, resulting in large pores and high infiltration rates, whereas clay soils (>60% clay) have high specific surface area, resulting in small pores and low infiltration rates [6]. This factors can extremely affected occurrence of carrion beetles [7,8,9]
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