Abstract
We evaluated the differences in frequency (percentage of sampling sessions where the species was recorded) and abundance (mean number of individuals per 100 sweeps) of native species of ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the center of Prague, Central Europe, and in its outskirts. Between 2016 and 2019, coccinellids were sampled on Tilia stands using a standardized sweeping method. Twenty-one species were identified in the total sample of 2,761 adults that were collected in 504 sampling sessions. Species richness was significantly higher in the outskirts than in the center, where seven species were absent and two species were found only once. In contrast, only five species were more abundant in the center than in the outskirts. Communities of native coccinellids were poorer in species, and most species were less abundant in the center than in the outskirts.
Highlights
The decline in abundance and diversity of insect communities is a current topic of concern to society as a whole (e.g., Hallmann et al, 2017; Sánchez-Bayo and Wyckhuys, 2019)
Urbanization of large areas can negatively affect the presence and abundance of coccinellids in the area by reducing the availability of breeding sites and Urbanization Negatively Affects Native Ladybirds increasing the need for migration abilities of coccinellids to enable displacement from undisturbed habitats of the city surroundings to the center or between green islands in urban areas (Sloggett, 2021)
Of the species found in both areas, most were more frequent in samples from the outskirts than in samples from the center: e.g., Coccinella septempunctata L., followed by fewer species of Aphidecta obliterata (L.) (19 and 10%, respectively), Calvia decemguttata (L.) (15 and 9%), C. quatuordecimguttata (L.) (21 and 7%), and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.) (21 and 17%)
Summary
The decline in abundance and diversity of insect communities is a current topic of concern to society as a whole (e.g., Hallmann et al, 2017; Sánchez-Bayo and Wyckhuys, 2019) This is because some factors in this process, e.g., climate change and habitat loss, are influenced by human activity (Ceballos et al, 2017; Meyer et al, 2020; Milanovic et al, 2021; Wagner et al, 2021). The effect of urbanization has been well-studied on ladybirds (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) (Honek et al, 2021; Sloggett, 2021) This family includes a number of predatory species feeding mainly on aphids (Hodek et al, 2012). Fragmentation of green spaces may cause a shortage of food and extinction or emigration of the local population of coccinellids
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