Movements of Abax parallelepipedus (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in woody habitats of a hedgerow network landscape: a radio-tracing study

Abstract

Interaction between local populations is of prime importance for species survival in fragmented rural landscapes. In the hedgerow networks of Brittany, several forest carabid beetles were shown to use some linear woody elements as dispersal corridors. This paper reports on the long-term movements of a forest carabid beetle, Abax parallelepipedus (Piller and Mitterpacher, 1783), which survives as metapopulations. The aim of the study was to assess whether or not movements were similar in four different types of woody habitats. The walking patterns and intensity of movements were examined by radio-tracing individuals. Walking patterns were similar but movements differed significantly. Mean distances covered per time unit as well as the area occupied during the study were highest in the woodlot and decreased as vegetation cover in the linear element decreased. The presence of hedgerows in rural landscapes is of importance for forest species survival but, as hedgerow quality influences its efficiency for species diffusion, attention should be paid to their management in order to maintain functional links between natural remnants.