Coleoptera Communities Research Articles

Seasonal dynamics of interaction networks in Mediterranean forests: insights from saproxylic communities of Syrphidae (Diptera) and Coleoptera

Saproxylic communities residing in tree hollows form complex food webs that vary over time. However, this study aims to explore the seasonal variation patterns of these communities in Mediterranean ecosystems using ecological network analysis. The focus is on saproxylic Syrphidae (Diptera) and Coleoptera communities in three Mediterranean forests in Cabañeros National Park (Spain), revealing dynamics influenced by forest type and seasonality. During summer, nestedness is observed only in F. angustifolia, while modularity is observed in Q. rotundifolia during spring and autumn. Modularity implies specialized interactions that affect species functions and responses, which may restrict adaptability and resilience to environmental perturbations during these time periods. The seasonal changes in interaction attributes reveal greater connectivity in Q. rotundifolia and Q. pyrenaica in autumn. It is concluded that studying the temporal patterns of saproxylic community assemblages is increasingly important in the context of current climate change in the Mediterranean, which could significantly influence the spatio-temporal distribution of interactions between them. These results highlight the complex dynamics of saproxylic insect ecological networks, which are crucial for the conservation and ecosystem management of Mediterranean forests.

On the distribution and biology of Elater ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in Russia

Saproxylic beetle communities play an important bioindicator role in the assessment of biodiversity status in forest habitats. These Coleoptera communities also contain a considerable number of threatened species with a low abundance throughout their range. One of these species is Elater ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Elateridae), a threatened species that inhabits old, hollow, deciduous trees. Elater ferrugineus is protected in many European countries, including Russia. In the present study, we provide new data on the distribution of this rare and protected species in Russia. The species has been recorded for the first time in Ulyanovsk Region, Ryazan Region, and Voronezh Region, and it is currently indicated in the fauna of 23 Russian regions. The phenology, habitat preferences, and some other aspects of ecology of Elater ferrugineus in Russia have been characterised. The main period of activity of adult individuals was observed from the third decade of June to the third decade of July. The species is mainly found in various types of deciduous forests (dominated by trees of the genera Quercus, Tilia, Acer, Populus, and Fagus) and in mixed forests. In addition, our research also revealed the presence of Elater ferrugineus in pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest complexes. A general set of measures is proposed to ensure the protection and monitoring of Elater ferrugineus. It is recommended that Elater ferrugineus ferrugineus needs to be included in Red Data Books of all regions where it is known, because at present this species still has no conservation status in several regions of Russia.

Spatial variability of edaphic attributes on Coleoptera (Insecta) in land use systems

The alteration of the natural landscape structure affects abiotic conditions and promotes a biological response in the local community. The diversity of edaphic organisms is related to the diversity of other taxa and abiotic characteristics, which represent potential bioindicators of the ecosystem. The objective of this study was to identify which soil attributes explain the beetle community and explore their effects through spatial modeling. The study was conducted in three landscapes in western Santa Catarina (Brazil), located in Chapecó, Pinhalzinho, and São Miguel do Oeste. The land use and cover systems identified were: no-till farming, native forest, pasture, eucalyptus planting, crop-livestock integration, and shrub vegetation. Soil, plant litter, and Coleoptera samples were collected. The variables were selected through the Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis and spatial modeling by Geostatistics. Higher values of soil penetration resistance, associated with the no-till system, resulted in a lower abundance of Staphylinidae beetles, conditioned by total soil porosity. Lower volumetric moisture values, identified in the no-till system near native vegetation fragments, led to increased abundance of Nitidulidae family beetles, due to the family's adaptability to dry environments. The trend of higher microbial carbon concentration in native vegetation areas explained the greater abundance of Chrysomelidae family beetles in these areas, due to the phytophagous habits of the species in this family. Thus, the Coleoptera community has the potential to serve as bioindicators of soil quality, and their relationships with soil physics, chemical, and microbial attributes can be spatially modeled through Geostatistics.

Forest stand structure and coarse woody debris determine the biodiversity of beetle communities in Mediterranean mountain beech forests

The relationships between structural complexity, deadwood abundance, microhabitat type and species-diversity indicators are excellent tools to monitor biodiversity in forest ecosystems.In spite of their importance, correlations between structural traits and Coleoptera communities in Mediterranean mountain forests have only rarely been investigated. Consequently, the magnitude and direction of the relationships between forest traits and biodiversity indicators remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed whether biodiversity indices of saproxylic and non-saproxylic beetle communities could be influenced by stand structure, microhabitat type, and deadwood abundance in two protected beech forests located in the central and southern Apennines (namely Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, GSML, and Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni National Park, CVDA). Standard measurements of forest structural traits and quantitative assessment of tree microhabitats and deadwood were carried out. Adult beetles were collected using window flight traps and emergence traps on decaying deadwood. The two beech forests were different in terms of both beetle communities and structural traits. A two-block partial least squares analysis 2B-PLS highlighted differences in biodiversity indices and structural traits between the two forest ecosystems. In GSML, we observed that biodiversity indices were positively correlated with the volume of coarse woody debris and the presence fungal infections, clefts into the sapwood, and woodpecker cavities, while more dominant beetle communities were found under denser canopy cover. In CVDA, Coleoptera abundance was positively correlated with the basal area and crown broken microhabitats. Our results point toward the relevance of ecological attributes in tracking changes in beetle biodiversity in specific forest contexts. In these protected Mediterranean mountain beech stands, in which the main forest management strategies have the primary objective of biodiversity conservation, we suggest to progressively increase the structural diversity and canopy dynamics, as well as the volume of coarse woody debris.

Edaphic beetle (Coleoptera) community response to the presence of gallery forest in a Brazilian subtropical grassland landscape

Edaphic beetle (Coleoptera) community response to the presence of gallery forest in a Brazilian subtropical grassland landscape

温带落叶阔叶林地表鞘翅目成虫小尺度空间格局动态分析

温带落叶阔叶林地表鞘翅目成虫小尺度空间格局动态分析

帽儿山红松人工林鞘翅目成虫群落小尺度空间异质性变化特征

帽儿山红松人工林鞘翅目成虫群落小尺度空间异质性变化特征

Coleoptera species in bush remnants at a closed coal mine in southeast Otago

Rehabilitation earthworks and site reconstruction radically changed the abandoned nature of a closed coal mine in southeast Otago. Around 90% of natural vegetation was cleared for replacement mass planting of indigenous shrubs. A small network of mānuka and kānuka bush patches (40+ years old) was retained as remnant ‘islands’ in a matrix of cleared, bare ground. Coleoptera were sampled in three size classes of bush remnants and a mature forest remnant in 2003 to identify which indigenous species had persisted in the modified setting. From 72 samples, 1155 individuals were recorded from 81 species and 24 families. Indigenous species dominated the sampled fauna and, except for the absence of large predatory species, were found to represent a typical southern Otago forest-associated assemblage. Significant multivariate differences in species composition based on relative abundance existed between different remnant size groups. Only 6% of species were distributed throughout all of the bush remnants. A later sample taken in 2010 from 7-year-old plantings on waste rock indicated few shared species with the nearby mānuka–kānuka remnants. Over rehabilitation time, a finely structured Coleoptera community is developing in revegetated habitats at the coal mine.

The value of targeted reforestations for local insect diversity: a case study from the Ecuadorian Andes

We surveyed insect communities (Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera) on native treelets (Cedrela montana, Heliocarpus americanus, Tabebuia chrysantha) planted among anthropogenic land cover types (pasture, secondary shrub, and a pine plantation), comparing them among one another and to those found on conspecific treelets in adjacent montane rainforest. Between 2010 and 2012, we sampled 160 treelets (Pasture: 47, Shrub: 26, Pine: 44, Forest: 43). Habitability of reforestations for forest insects was quantified by examining species richness, diversity partitioning and community composition on reforestations relative to natural forest. Species richness was high (phytophagous Coleoptera: 185 spp., predatory Coleoptera: 101 spp., phytoph. Hemiptera: 174 spp., phytoph. Lepidoptera: 147 spp.) with values being highest in natural forest, and significantly lower in all reforestations. Phytophagous Coleoptera and Lepidoptera communities showed a trend toward higher species richness in pine than in pasture or shrub. Predatory Coleoptera showed higher values in pasture and pine compared to shrub. These findings suggest that microclimatic effects of surrounding vegetation may affect species richness. Given high habitat heterogeneity and prevalence of rare species, tree-level α-diversity and turn-over between individual sample treelets emerged as the strongest contributors to overall diversity. Coleoptera community composition was mainly a function of habitat, but colonization of reforestations by forest species was restricted to phytophagous taxa and contingent on the presence of canopy cover. For Hemiptera and Lepidoptera, community composition was similar across habitats and determined mainly by host species. In summary, young reforestations maintain less diverse insect communities compared to natural forest but still harbor a considerable number of species, particularly if canopy cover is present.

Diversity and ecological aspects of aquatic insect communities from montane streams in southern Brazil

AIMS: In this study, the diversity of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Coleoptera communities was surveyed in the Toropi River basin, a watershed localized in a slope region, in southernmost Brazil. The influence of some local abiotic factors on the most common genera was also analyzed. METHODS: Samplings were conducted at 40 sites in 1st-4th order streams, along a short elevation gradient (70-500 m), with a Surber sampler. Water physico-chemical factors, as well as substrate type, were obtained at each site. RESULTS: At all, 5,320 specimens were collected, belonging to 18 families and 52 genera. The caddisflies Austrotinodes and Celaenotrichia, and an undescribed Elmidae, Genus M, are new records for the region. The caddisfly Smicridea was the most frequent genus in the study area. The mayflies Camelobaetidius, Paracloeodes and Americabaetis were influenced by stream order. Smicridea was related to air temperature, while the mayfly Thraulodes was influenced by high levels of electrical conductivity. CONCLUSIONS: The high diversity found in the study area, compared to other Brazilian regions, reflects the environmental heterogeneity in the region. These data show that hydrographic basins in slope areas from extreme Southern Brazil sustain high levels of diversity of aquatic insect communities.

Biodiversity of indigenous tussock grassland sites in Otago, Canterbury and the Central North Island of New Zealand VI. Coleoptera biodiversity, community structure, exotic species invasion, and the effect of disturbance by agricultural development

The diversity of Coleoptera communities in tussock grassland at two sites in Otago, one in Canterbury and one in the central North Island, was compared. The impact of agricultural disturbance on the communities was compared between native tussock, tussock oversown with exotic pasture species and cultivated sown pasture. Coleoptera were heat-extracted from turf samples taken in summer in two consecutive years. In native and oversown treatments, Staphylinidae and Curculionidae predominated in abundance at three of the four sites, and in species richness at all sites and treatments. Carabidae were more species-rich than Curculionidae in cultivated treatments at most sites. The mean density of Coleoptera in native tussock treatments ranged between 654/m2 and 97/m2. Carnivores were the predominant trophic group followed by herbivores. Species diversity was higher in the native or oversown treatments and the Otago sites were the most diverse overall, and the least disturbed. A total of 19 exotic species were found but there was no relationship with treatment, although their density was higher in cultivated treatments. There was no evidence to suggest that modified vegetation provides a source of exotic Coleoptera species to invade native tussock.

The Influence of Clothing and Wrapping on Carcass Decomposition and Arthropod Succession During the Warmer Seasons in Central South Africa*

The influence of clothing and wrapping on carcass decomposition and arthropod succession was investigated to provide data to enable estimated postmortem interval in homicide investigations. Six pig carcasses, Sus scrofa, were divided into three sample groups, each with a clothed carcass wrapped and a carcass wrapped with no clothes. Two more carcasses, one with no clothes or wrapping, the other with clothes and no wrapping were used as controls. The clothed or wrapped carcasses had larger visible maggot masses, which moved more freely and these carcasses took longer to dry out. The blow fly maggot masses were dominated by Chrysomya marginalis and Chrysomya albiceps. Oviposition occurred simultaneously on all carcasses. High temperatures in one case caused significant maggot mortality. The Coleoptera community was dominated by Silphidae, Thanathopilus micans larvae, Dermestidae, Dermestes maculatus adults and larvae, and Cleridae, Necrobia rufipes.

The Influence of Clothing and Wrapping on Carcass Decomposition and Arthropod Succession: A Winter Study in Central South Africa

ABSTRACTClothing and wrapping of a carcass creates an environment which may influence natural decomposition and arthropod succession. Six pig carcasses were divided into three sample groups, each with a clothed carcass wrapped in a sheet and a carcass wrapped but with no clothes. These were sampled daily, or after five and ten days. An additional two pig carcasses, one with no clothes or wrapping, the other with clothes and no wrapping, were also sampled daily as controls. There was a delay in oviposition on the exposed and wrapped carcasses of five and nine days, respectively. During the extended active stage of the decomposition process, there was not a clear successional pattern, possibly due to the lack of competition between the arthropods. Overall the wrapped carcasses retained a higher mass than the exposed carcasses, as they remained moist for a longer period of time. The Diptera species breeding on the carcasses included the Calliphoridae, Lucilia spp., Chrysomya chloropyga and Calliphora vicina, and Sarcophagidae spp. The Coleoptera community was dominated by adult Dermestes maculatus (Dermestidae) and Necrobia rufipes (Cleridae) which were present on the carcasses throughout the trial. During the more advanced stages of decomposition, Thanathopilus micans (Silphidae) larvae, succeeded by D. maculatus larvae, were present.

Potential host colonization by insect herbivores in a warmer climate: a transplant experiment

AbstractWe conducted a transplant experiment to investigate the potential colonization of a plant species by insect herbivores under a warmer climate. Acacia falcata seeds collected from four latitudes, encompassing the current coastal range of the species (1150 km), were grown in the same soil type and climatic conditions in a glasshouse. Plants were then transplanted to two sites, 280 km north of A. falcata's current coastal range; the transplant sites were 1.2 and 5.5°C warmer than the northernmost and southernmost boundaries of the species' current range, respectively. We compared the structure and composition of the herbivorous Hemiptera and Coleoptera communities on the transplants (i) to that of A. falcata within its current distribution, (ii) to a closely related Acacia species (Acacia leptostachya) that naturally occurred at the transplant sites, and (iii) among the A. falcata transplants originating from seeds collected at different latitudes. Herbivory on A. falcata was also compared between the transplants and the current distribution, and among transplant originating from different latitudes. Thirty species of externally feeding herbivorous Coleoptera and Hemiptera were collected from the transplanted A. falcata over a period of 12 months following transplantation. Guild structure of this herbivore community (based on the proportion of species within each of seven groups based on taxonomy and feeding style) did not significantly differ between the transplants and that found on A. falcata within its natural range, but did differ between the transplants and A. leptostachya. Rates of herbivory did not significantly differ between the transplants and plants at sites within the natural range. There were no significant differences in herbivore species richness or overall rates of herbivory on the transplants originating from different latitudes. In conclusion, host plant identity was apparently more important than climate in influencing the structure of the colonizing herbivore community. If this result holds for other plant–herbivore systems, we might expect that under a warmer climate, broad patterns in insect community structure and rates of herbivory may remain similar to that at present, even though species composition may change substantially.

Relationship between benthic insects (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Coleoptera, Trichoptera) and temperature in small and medium-sized streams in Germany: A multivariate study

Benthic insect communities (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Coleoptera, Trichoptera) were studied together with water temperature and environmental parameters in streams between June 2000 and June 2001. The sampling area consisted of 20 sites in small and medium-sized streams located in the lower mountainous area of Central Europe. Temperature was recorded nearly continuously and several physicochemical and environmental variables were assessed. Macroinvertebrates were sampled both in spring and summer. Data-sets of species abundance and occurrence were analysed using multivariate techniques and were correlated to the thermal and environmental conditions of the streams. The temperature preferences of the species were compared to published data-sets on their autecological characteristics. Up to 29% of the variability in the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Coleoptera community was explained by summer temperature variation in the data-sets for both small and medium-sized streams. A smaller, but significant part of the variability in species distribution was explained by conductivity, substratum type, and the percent coverage of local riparian forest. Compared to small streams, temperature was less important for the macroinvertebrate composition in medium-sized streams. This result is likely due to the more tolerant, eurythermic species composition in larger streams. A total of 33 Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Coleoptera and Trichoptera taxa were positively correlated and 28 taxa were negatively correlated to summer temperature patterns. The temperature preferences of taxa considered in this study were related to species traits, such as egg dormancies and life cycle plasticity.

International Biodiversity Observation Year in Western‐Pacific and Asian regions (DIWPA‐IBOY): a case report on species rarity and spatio‐temporal variability of species composition in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera communities from a temperate forest of northern Japan

AbstractAn international project, DIWPA‐IBOY, took place for simultaneously observing biodiversity throughout the Western‐Pacific and Asian regions in 2001–2003, as one of the core projects for International Biodiversity Observation Year, a crosscutting network activity of DIVERSITAS (an international programme of biodiversity science). DIWPA‐IBOY provides extensive data on species diversity obtained by the standardized method. Under this project, 51,742 individuals of Lepidoptera and 11,633 of Coleoptera were collected by light traps from the Tomakomai Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University, one of the core DIWPA‐IBOY sites, in the cool‐temperate region of northern Japan. Based on these data, this study examined the relative abundance distribution (RAD) to evaluate the amount of rare species in the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera communities. The beta diversities between sampling seasons, forest strata, and trap sites were also assessed to evaluate the spatio‐temporal variability of species composition in these communities. In the analysis of the RAD, the best‐fit model was selected from the log‐Normal, Zipf–Mandelbrot, and Zipf models differing in the tail length of the RAD, i.e., the proportion of rare species. To explore the beta diversity between samples, the abundance‐based Jaccard index with an unseen species estimator was calculated, and then a hierarchical clustering analysis was conducted. As a result of RAD analysis, the Coleoptera community was regarded as containing a larger proportion of rare species than the Lepidoptera community. The seasonal compartmentalization of the community, deduced from the beta‐diversity analysis, was finer in Lepidoptera (seven assemblages recognized) than in Coleoptera (three assemblages). The spatial (vertical and horizontal) compartmentalization was negligible in both communities. The coincidence of the larger proportion of rare species and the lower beta diversity between seasons in the Coleoptera community was explained by the longer life spans of beetles compared to moths, based on the assumption that the length of life span acts as a temporal agent for mass effect on the analogy of the migration rate as a spatial agent for mass effect.

Fauna de Coleoptera no Parque Estadual de Vila Velha, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brasil: abundância e riqueza das famílias capturadas através de armadilhas malaise

The Coleoptera fauna of Parque Estadual de Vila Velha, Ponta Grossa, Parana, was sampled during 52 weeks using malaise traps (from September 1999 to August 2000). Five different sites were selected according to floristic conditions: one site in initial stage of vegetacional succession; one in intermediate stage; one in advanced stage (recognized as a mature forest); one with an Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze plantation, invaded by native forest vegetation; and a fifth site in the edge area. The Coleoptera communities from the five sites were analyzed based on abundance and family richness. The total of specimens collected was 10,822 belonging to 64 families. The most abundant sites were those in initial and intermediate stages of plant succession; the abundance in the edge area was the lowest. The family richness is not related with the level of preservation of the sites. The beetle community structures of the five sites were not significantly different when involving all the families captured; but the more correlated pair-wise site structures reflected the vegetational stages of the sites. A temporal comparison of the beetle community structures was made, based on data gathered in one of the selected site which were sampled 13 years ago (1986/1987). The fauna collected in this year was more related with that of the initial stage of succession, in 1999/2000, than the one collected in the same area, in 1999/2000, nowadays considered as an intermediate stage of succession. This fact probably represents a parallel succession of fauna and flora. The dominant families, about 60% of total abundance, include Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae, Cerambycidae, Elateridae and Staphylinidae. Eventually, one or two of them, were substituted by Scarabaeidae, Ptilodactylidae, Cleridae, Coccinellidae, Lampyridae, Scolytidae, Cucujidae, Nitidulidae, Cantharidae, Scirtidae and Phengodidae. As observed in Vila Velha and other localities, there are a taxonomic family constancy among the most abundant Coleoptera families when using malaise traps. However, there were significant differences among the beetle community structures of the five areas in Vila Velha when only the seven most abundant families were included in the analysis.

Diversity patterns of soil macro-Coleoptera in Mexican shaded and unshaded coffee agroecosystems: an indication of habitat perturbation

The soil Coleoptera community was sampled with pitfall traps in shaded and unshaded coffee agroecosystems in Veracruz, Mexico. The insect collection resulted in a total of 31 species which belong to nine families. The most frequent families collected in this study (in terms of species and number of organisms) were Scarabaeidae and Carabidae. Species diversity was measured using the Hill's family of diversity numbers. The Coleoptera community was more diverse in shaded than in unshaded coffee. Also, the collected organisms were more evenly distributed between species in shaded coffee. The diversity of the scarab beetles was shown to be strongly affected by the degree of forest perturbation. The richness and evenness of scarab beetles was correlated with the diversity of shade trees present in coffee agro-ecosystems; scarab richness drops from 19 species collected in virgin tropical rain-forests, to five species in polyspecific shade (more than ten species of shade trees) and six species in monogeneric shade (three species of shade trees) coffee agro-ecosystems, and to three scarab species in unshaded coffee. Evenness in scarab beetles follows a similar pattern: a single species tends to gradually become dominant as more shade trees are removed from the agro-ecosystem. It is suggested that some shade trees should be preserved within the agro-ecosystem during the intensification of coffee production in Mexico.

A comparison of aquatic Heteroptera and Coleoptera communities as a basis for environmental and conservation assessments in static water sites

AbstractAquatic Heteroptera and Coleoptera species data from 46 sites (44 lowland, 2 upland) in north‐east England were classified and ordinated in order to ascertain which group, or a mixture, gave the better habitat definition as a basis for environmental and conservation assessments. Mixing the two data sets gave uninterpretable results. The major influence on both communities appeared to be the acidity of the water, with the two upland sites being split from the rest. Classification of both upland and lowland sites was more clear with the Coleoptera data. The relative value of each group for environmental and conservation assessments is discussed.ZusammenfassungVergleichende Untersuchung der Heteropteren‐ und Coleopteren‐Gemeinschaften als Grundlage zur Bewertung von Umwelteinflüssen und Schutzmaßnahmen bei stehenden GewässernEs wurde die aquatische Heteropteren‐ und Coleopteren‐Fauna von 46 Orten (44 Tiefland, 2 Bergland) im nordöstlichen England untersucht, um festzustellen, welche Gruppe oder Mischung sich am besten zur Definition der Habitate und damit als Grundlage zur Bewertung von Umwelteinflüssen und Schutzmaßnahmen stehender Gewässer eignet. Eine Mischung der beiden Daten‐Sets ergab uninterpretierbare Ergebnisse. Den Haupteinfluß auf beide Insektengemeinschaften schien die Azidität des Wassers zu haben, wobei die 2 Berggewässer sich von den übrigen unterschieden. Eine Klassifizierung aller (Flach‐ und Bergland‐)Standorte gelang mit Hilfe von Coleopteren am besten. Es wird der relative Wert der Artengruppen als Grundlage für eine Bewertung von Umwelteinflüssen und Schutzmaßnahmen erörtert.