Ecological Demands Research Articles

Biocapacity optimization in regional planning

Ecological overshoot has been accelerating across the globe. Optimizing biocapacity has become a key to resolve the overshoot of ecological demand in regional sustainable development. However, most literature has focused on reducing ecological footprint but ignores the potential of spatial optimization of biocapacity through regional planning of land use. Here we develop a spatial probability model and present four scenarios for optimizing biocapacity of a river basin in Northwest China. The potential of enhanced biocapacity and its effects on ecological overshoot and water consumption in the region were explored. Two scenarios with no restrictions on croplands and water use reduced the overshoot by 29 to 53%, and another two scenarios which do not allow croplands and water use to increase worsened the overshoot by 11 to 15%. More spatially flexible transition rules of land use led to higher magnitude of change after optimization. However, biocapacity optimization required a large amount of additional water resources, casting considerable pressure on the already water-scarce socio-ecological system. Our results highlight the potential for policy makers to manage/optimize regional land use which addresses ecological overshoot. Investigation on the feasibility of such spatial optimization complies with the forward-looking policies for sustainable development and deserves further attention.

Urban ecological corridors construction: A review

An ecological corridor, with both ecological and cultural functions, is a symbol of urban ecological or green civilization, and has therefore become one of the major topics in the fields of landscape ecology, urban ecology, and ecological planning. On the one hand, along with the prominent contradiction between regional ecological protection and economic development, as well as between the growing ecological demands of urban residents and the destruction of natural ecosystems, the construction of urban ecological corridors is very challenging. On the other hand, with contemporary urbanization and ecological civilization development, the standards and requirements for the construction of urban ecological corridors are set higher and higher. Constructing an urban ecological corridor is therefore particularly important, and must adopt a spatial approach that balances the relationship between ecological protection and economic development. In this study, the classification of urban ecological corridors was firstly conducted according to the structural or functional differences. Secondly, research progress on the construction of urban ecological corridors was systematically summarized and the main inadequacies were indicated. Following the analysis of the main methods employed in the construction of urban ecological corridors, existing methods were classified into three kinds, i.e. qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis, and spatial analysis. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of the methods of subjective judgment, suitability and sensitivity analysis, network analysis, and minimum cost path analysis were compared. To provide theoretical support for the construction and management of urban ecological corridors, four key research directions were also pointed out, i.e. the identification of key nodes of urban ecological corridor, the determination of the width of urban ecological corridor, the measurement of integrated effect of urban ecological corridor, and the multi-scale integration of urban ecological corridor. The present study will aid in accelerating and improving the process of ecological corridors construction in China's new-type urbanization.

Hedera crebrescens (Araliaceae) a newly identifi ed diploid taxon and triploid ivies from Hungary

Hedera crebrescens, a newly identified species in Hungary is described here. This diploid ivy is not identical with the diploid H. helix. It grows vigorously, is invasive, and has spread into most parts of the country and adjacent regions. We also present two triploid species of hybrid origin, which were known formerly as selected varieties of H. helix. Triploids differ from the presumed diploid and tetraploid parents based on their reproductive morphological traits and also based on their ecological demands.

Coupling ecosystem services supply and human ecological demand to identify landscape ecological security pattern: A case study in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, China

Landscape ecological security pattern (LESP) can effectively safeguard urban ecological security, which is vital for urban sustainable development. Previous studies have not adequately considered the ability to fulfill people’s demand for ecosystem services when identifying sources of LESP. To address this gap, we sought to develop a more comprehensive approach coupling ecosystem services supply and human ecological demand to construct LESP for Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. We proposed a new evaluation framework integrating ecosystem services importance assessment and landscape connectivity analysis with human ecological demand importance assessment to identify ecological sources. Afterwards, ecological corridors were identified using Minimum Cumulative Resistance model based on sources and resistance surface modified through nighttime light data. Combined with ecological sources and corridors, LESP for Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region can be constructed. The ecological sources are mainly located in western Beijing and southwestern Chengde. The ecological source area totals 36,245.50 km2, accounting for 21.26% of the ecological land in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. The ecological corridors cross the whole region, from northeast to southwest, similar to the direction of the Yanshan–Taihang Mountain Chain. All the national nature reserves and 91.4% of the provincial nature reserves are distributed within the LESP. The validity of our methodology is confirmed by the distribution of the nature reserves. This study adds new insights into the methodology of LESP construction, and its results provide information about local ecological characteristics that can provide an important reference for decision-making concerning urban planning and ecological conservation.

Landscape changes of the Ejin Delta in the Heihe River Basin in Northwest China from 1930 to 2010

ABSTRACTThe Heihe River Basin is located in the arid and semi-arid region of Northwest China; during the past 80 years, this basin has experienced water resource competition between irrigation agriculture and ecological demand in its middle and lower reaches, respectively. The land cover of the Ejin Delta in the lower reaches of the Heihe River Basin was interpreted and analysed for four different periods using a map created by Dr Sven Hedin in the 1930s, Corona satellite images taken in 1961, and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images taken in 2000 and 2010. Overall, the results show that (1) the coarse resolution of the 1930s map increased the uncertainty of analysis in the study area and (2) the river area in the Ejin Delta decreased by 91.0% from the 1930s to 2000. In addition, two major terminal lakes, Gaxun Nuur Lake and Sogo Nuur Lake, dried up in 1961 and 1992, respectively, and the area of Populus euphratica decreased by 76.1% from the 1930s to 2000. Most reeds were overtaken by shrubs between the 1930s and 1961, which caused the area of reeds to decrease from 3481 to 1332 km2 and the area of shrubs to increase from 805 to 2795 km2. From the 1930s to 2000, the desert and alkaline land areas increased by 42.2% and 52.4%, respectively. (3) After the water transfer project was implemented in 2000, the area of Sogo Nuur Lake recovered to 40.58 km2 by 2010. The areas of Populus euphratica, shrubland, and reedland showed a recovering trend, with increases of 4.5%, 6.5%, and 43.5%, respectively, by 2010. The desert and alkaline land areas decreased by 4.2% and 15.2%, respectively, by 2010. The area of cultivated land increased from 25 km2 in 1961 to 85 km2 in 2000 and rapidly approached 160 km2 in 2010. These changes over time indicated that the ecological habitat in the Ejin Delta deteriorated between the 1930s and 2000. However, the water transfer project effectively changed the degradation trend.

Conjunctive Operation of Reservoirs and Ponds Using a Simulation-Optimization Model of Irrigation Systems

Water resource management in arid agricultural irrigation regions is a great challenge for managers and decision makers. In some of those regions, many ponds have been built to ensure an adequate water supply for irrigation. Therefore, reservoirs and ponds should be managed conjunctively to minimize shortages of water. In this study, a new integrated mathematical model of conjunctive, or integrated, operation of reservoirs and ponds to maximize the water supply has been proposed for a reservoir-pond irrigation system. This objective has been achieved via the use of two models: an optimal model, which is used to determine the optimal discharge of reservoirs, and a simulation model, which considers the regulatory role of ponds and reservoirs and simulates their water supply to the irrigation system. An adaptive genetic algorithm has been employed in this study to solve the nonlinear and multi-dimensional reservoirs optimization problem. This methodology has been applied to the Yarkant River Basin to demonstrate its applicability, and three scenarios are presented. The main objective of the simulation-optimization model in the Yarkant River Basin is to minimize shortages in meeting irrigation demands for nine sub-irrigation systems subject to the constraint of ecological water transfer to the Tarim River. The optimizing effect of the model was particularly prominent under the third scenario, i.e., the XBD, MMK, and ART Reservoirs and 16 ponds conjunctively operated to meet the water demand of the YKB. The frequency of success (FS) in meeting agricultural water demands reaches up to 75%, and the value for ecological demand is 50.98%. The results demonstrate the importance of the conjunctive combined use approach for management of water resources in irrigation system of arid regions.

Posthuman Ecologies and the More-than-Human World

Posthuman Ecologies and the More-than-Human World

Weather influence on the abundance of bird species wintering in three Mediterranean ecosystems

Many migratory bird species winter in southern Europe and weather influences their abundance, distribution, arrival and departure dates. This study compares the influence of air temperature and precipitation on abundance of waterfowl (Anas spp., Anser albifrons and Fulica atra), woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), skylark (Alauda arvensis) and meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis), representative species of wetland, woodland and farmland ecosystems, in Hellas (Greece). The harsh winter of 2001–2002 led initially to the increase of waterfowl abundance, however the prolonged cold weather forced the birds south. The following year's counts showed an increase of larger bodied and a decrease of smaller bodied waterfowl species. In forestland, the woodcock abandoned its mountainous wintering area in low temperatures and its abundance decreased the year following the harsh winter. Precipitation during November and December influenced negatively the abundance of woodcocks along the studied route probably due to their increased dispersion. In farmland, the preliminary results did not indicate any clear relation between the abundance or departure of skylarks and meadow pipits and air temperature and precipitation. A trend of skylarks to stay longer in the study area was observed with lower air temperatures in March. The influence of meteorological conditions differs from species to species due to their various ecological demands and different habitats. Future climate change is expected to influence abundance, duration of stay and the distribution of wintering birds.

Social democratic parties and the rise of ecologism: A comparative analysis of Western Europe

The rise of green politics and new social movements posed serious challenges for existing party families. Social democratic parties, in particular, found themselves increasingly crammed between old demands of rising industrial productivity and a stable economic growth on the one hand and new demands regarding ecological sustainability and environmental protection on the other. In this study, I examine the influence of green politics on social democratic party ideologies in Western Europe (N=19) during the last decades of the twentieth century. In the first step of the analysis, I carry out a descriptive examination in order to identify parties where ecological demands are clearly present. Here, the empirical observations indicate that parties domiciling in the northern and central parts of Europe generally have been more prone to establish ecological views than parties in Southern Europe. The second step of the study presents at least indicative evidence regarding possible causes of these ecological shifts. Building on previous research on party change – but using a qualitative comparative analysis (csQCA) in order to detect equifinal and conjunctural causality – I identify four sufficient paths leading to considerable ecological change within social democratic parties.

Scientific Conference on Automotive Vehicles and Combustion Engines (KONMOT 2016)

22-23 September 2016, Cracow, PolandThe contemporary world requires ecological solutions in the area of automotive vehicles, low energy consumption, safety and easy exploitation. The role of engineers and scientists is the realization and managing of the designing and exploitation processes within that area. The growing exploitation and ecological demands set successive challenges for designers and scientists in the area of automobiles, powertrains and exploitation. Particularly the essential problem is finding solutions decreasing fuel consumption and emission of the exhaust gases as well as application of the alternative powertrains such as hybrid and electric. The cyclical automotive conference KONMOT since 1976 is a place of meeting of outstanding scientists and engineers from country and abroad, raising contemporary problems of motorization with the possibility of publishing results on the international area.In 2016 the organized automotive conference KONMOT celebrated the 40th anniversary. It was organized by the Institute of Automobiles and Internal Combustion Engines in Cracow University of Technology (CUT). The first conference was held in Kroscienko-Szczawnica on 20-23 September 1976. The motto, that guided the deliberations, was "Progress in Research of Motor Vehicle.” The conference was a nationwide and attended by many representatives of technical universities, research and development centres and plants related to the automotive industry. In the years 2000, 2004 and 2008, a conference was called KONMOT-AUTOPROGRES, the main organizer was the Cracow University of Technology. In 2002 and 2006 the main organizer of the conference was Automotive Industry Institute in Warsaw and the conference was called AUTOPROGRES-KONMOT. Papers presented on every two years conference KONMOT were published in the journal issued by the Polish Academy of Sciences "Portfolio of Science and the Problem Committee on Motorization” or published by the Technical Journal issued by CUT, as well as in the form of monographs. Some of the conferences were dedicated to the jubilee of work of outstanding scientific specialists in the automotive and engines fields.Apart from the official agenda for the conference the gala dinners were organized for all participants, often headline performances by famous artists were important point of such meetings. The penultimate conference KONMOT was held on 25-26 September 2014 in Cracow under the slogan "Development of vehicles - construction, operation, ecology and safety." The organized scientific conference KONMOT-2016 as in previous years provided an excellent opportunity to showcase of achievements of researchers and scientists and exchange of experience for a wide range of activity in research and development centres, industrial areas and universities.With regards to the current conference we are delighted to come up with ninety two (92) contributed research papers selected from the proceedings, as an output of the Scientific Automotive Conference KONMOT 2016 on motor-cars and engines progress held in Cracow (Poland) from September 22-23, 2016. This event marks as previous meetings in a highly successful series of conference devoted to this important technical field. Conference KONMOT gathers industrial and scientific communities in the field of design, experimental research and modelling of all scientific and industrial sectors of automotive branch. Contributions cover a wide range of topics including design and modelling of the suspension, traction and new driving systems in automobiles, method of vehicles exploitation or tribology. The new driving systems require a new design of engines for better efficiency and lower exhaust gas emission. Thirty three papers describe the research, experimental investigations and modelling of combustion processes in combustion engines.The papers shown during KONMOT 2016 from both the oral presentation and poster sessions are included in this conference volume. They are divided into the following three topic areas: Design and Research of Automobiles, Exploitation of Automobiles and Internal Combustion Engines and Emission. More than one third of the papers are directly concerned with mathematical modelling and numerical simulation in automobiles and internal combustion engines. However, most of papers include experimental and industrial activity. Some of the papers concern the applying of special new materials and were included in the Exploitation topic.The conference co-chairmen are grateful to the scientific committee and all the reviewers of the papers for their efficient work done in a very short period of time. These proceedings would not have been possible without the tremendous help of Mr Dr Eng. Marcin Noga and Mrs MSc Magdalena Kalarus from the Cracow University of Technology. Thanks also to CUT Publishing House for preparing of special issue of conference abstracts. Finally, we would like to thank our sponsors for their financial support, without that the conference would not be so attractive for participants, such as Development and Research Institute BOSMAL in Bielsko Biala, AVL - Poland Branch, FEV Poland, EC Engineering, Horus-Energia and Polish Scientific Society of Combustion Engines (PTNSS) and others. The logos of our main sponsors are shown below.We invite all participants from whole the world to the next conference KONMOT 2018.

Evidence that birds sleep in mid-flight.

Many birds fly non-stop for days or longer, but do they sleep in flight and if so, how? It is commonly assumed that flying birds maintain environmental awareness and aerodynamic control by sleeping with only one eye closed and one cerebral hemisphere at a time. However, sleep has never been demonstrated in flying birds. Here, using electroencephalogram recordings of great frigatebirds (Fregata minor) flying over the ocean for up to 10 days, we show that they can sleep with either one hemisphere at a time or both hemispheres simultaneously. Also unexpectedly, frigatebirds sleep for only 0.69 h d−1 (7.4% of the time spent sleeping on land), indicating that ecological demands for attention usually exceed the attention afforded by sleeping unihemispherically. In addition to establishing that birds can sleep in flight, our results challenge the view that they sustain prolonged flights by obtaining normal amounts of sleep on the wing.

Modelling ecological specificities of freshwater molluscs: the exemplary case of Bythinella austriaca (v. Frauenfeld 1857) (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia)

<p>Main objective of the study was the description of Weighted Average Analysis (WAA) as appropriate mathematical method for modelling the demands of freshwater molluscs on their habitats. With this approach site-specific environmental factors defining a certain biotope are weighted by the related population density of a selected organism. This allows the determination of optimum ranges of physical and chemical factors, within which highest probabilities of occurrence of the investigated organism may be expected. As an exemplary case ecological demands of the Austrian spring snail, <em>Bythinella austriaca</em>, were modelled by using WAA. In addition, a global marginality coefficient, which reflects the ability of the gastropod to occupy ecological niches, and a global tolerance coefficient, describing the width of the niche colonized by the organism, were computed for 10 selected environmental factors. As suggested by the modelling results, <em>B. austriaca </em>exhibits specialist behaviour with regard to water temperature, electric conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and dissolved nitrate. Furthermore, the gastropod only tolerates small fluctuations of these environmental factors, which remarkably reduces its ability to act as a pioneer species. </p>

Increasing aeolian dust deposition to snowpacks in the Rocky Mountains inferred from snowpack, wet deposition, and aerosol chemistry

Mountain snowpacks are a vital natural resource for ∼1.5 billion people in the northern Hemisphere, helping to meet human and ecological demand for water in excess of that provided by summer rain. Springtime warming and aeolian dust deposition accelerate snowmelt, increasing the risk of water shortages during late summer, when demand is greatest. While climate networks provide data that can be used to evaluate the effect of warming on snowpack resources, there are no established regional networks for monitoring aeolian dust deposition to snow. In this study, we test the hypothesis that chemistry of snow, wet deposition, and aerosols can be used as a surrogate for dust deposition to snow. We then analyze spatial patterns and temporal trends in inferred springtime dust deposition to snow across the Rocky Mountains, USA, for 1993–2014. Geochemical evidence, including strong correlations (r2 ≥ 0.94) between Ca2+, alkalinity, and dust concentrations in snow deposited during dust events, indicate that carbonate minerals in dust impart a strong chemical signature that can be used to track dust deposition to snow. Spatial patterns in chemistry of snow, wet deposition, and aerosols indicate that dust deposition increases from north to south in the Rocky Mountains, and temporal trends indicate that winter/spring dust deposition increased by 81% in the southern Rockies during 1993–2014. Using a multivariate modeling approach, we determined that increases in dust deposition and decreases in springtime snowfall combined to accelerate snowmelt timing in the southern Rockies by approximately 7–18 days between 1993 and 2014. Previous studies have shown that aeolian dust emissions may have doubled globally during the 20th century, possibly due to drought and land-use change. Climate projections for increased aridity in the southwestern U.S., northern Africa, and other mid-latitude regions of the northern Hemisphere suggest that aeolian dust emissions may continue to increase, compounding the risk that climate warming poses to snowpack water resources in arid/semi-arid regions of the world.

Bargaining for nature: treating the environment in China’s urban planning practice

ABSTRACTIn much of the contemporary academic inquiry and political discourse on Chinese cities, urban entrepreneurialism and environmentalism often appear to be analyzed disjointedly and unreflectively. They are portrayed as two conflicting interests. Commentators also view urban planners as a homogenous group of professionals and/or state agents being forced to give up environmental goals to pursue economic value of space. Using the case of Tianjin Eco-City planning, this article interrogates the bargaining process between the “ecological value” and “commodity narrative”. It offers three major arguments. First, even though the discourse of environmental sustainability has been used to legitimize economic transformation, ecological demands are creating new pressures on entrepreneurial urban governance. Second, rather than treating Chinese planners as a fully constituted, internally coherent, organizationally-fixed, and operationally-consistent group, they should be viewed as hybrid, and diverse entities that represent divergent and sometimes contentious state interests. Third, planners, though still under tremendous pressure from landed interests, can become active players to positively influence urban transformation toward more environmental care.

An alternative to ‘alternative development’?: Buen vivir and human development in Andean countries

In Bolivia and Ecuador the concept of Buen vivir, based on indigenous cosmologies, has been formulated by indigenous organisations as an alternative paradigm to mainstream development theory. It has also inspired environmentalist movements in their struggle for a different environmental governance beyond extractivism, and it has been appropriated by national governments to justify economic and social policies and their political agendas. In Peru, Buen vivir is emerging as a political project to express ecological concerns, as well as self-determination, territoriality and cultural rights of indigenous peoples. In these experiences the formulation and implementation of Buen vivir is a complex and contentious process which expresses the tensions and dynamics between indigenous politics and the political economy of extraction. This article explores the different meanings of Buen vivir in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru and the struggle of indigenous peoples to re-appropriate the concept which has been co-opted by the state using conventional views of development. We argue that Buen vivir serves as a political platform on the basis of which different social movements articulate social and ecological demands based on indigenous principles, in order to challenge the economic and political fundamentals of the state and the current theory, politics and policy-making of development.

Cryptic diversity and population structure at small scales: the freshwater snailAncylus(Planorbidae, Pulmonata) in the Montseny mountain range

Anthropogenic impacts like intensified land use and climate change are severe threats to freshwater biodiversity and effective biodiversity monitoring is therefore one of the most urgent tasks. This is, however, often hampered by the lack of knowledge regarding the number and ecology of species. Molecular tools have shown many freshwater taxa to comprise morphologically cryptic species, which often occur in sympatry on a small geographic scale. Here, we studied the freshwater snail Ancylus fluviatilis (Muller, 1774) species complex in the Iberian Montseny Mountains. We hypothesized that (1) several species of A. fluviatilis sensu lato occur in the Montseny and (2) the different species seldom co-occur in syntopy due to different ecological demands or interspecific competition. We barcoded 180 specimens from 36 sites in the Montseny for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding gene and molecularly identified two Ancylus species. These species seldom occurred in syntopy and a species distribution modelling approach showed differing bioclimatic preferences of the species. One species occurs mainly in cooler, higher altitude streams while the second species occurs in lower-altitude areas with higher temperatures. Tests of population structure showed that both species possibly do not disperse well in the study area and that populations within species might be adapted to certain bioclimatic conditions in different regions of the Montseny. Our results highlight the need to incorporate molecular techniques into routine monitoring programmes.

DEKAPODE CRUSTACEEN AUF DER ISLA DE SALAMANCA (ATLANTIK-RÜSTE, KOLUMBIEN)

17 species of decapod crustaceans have been collected on the Isla de Salamanca (Atlantic coast of Colombia). Four zones with Callinectes, Uca and Cardisoma, Ocypode and Gecarcinus, belonging to different altitudes are described. Microclimatic dates measured in the zones of Cardisoma and Gecarcinus are compared with the ecological demands of the respective species.

Patterns of contact call differentiation in the panmictic East African Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus (Aves: Passeriformes).

Species distribution patterns range from highly disjunct to continuous, depending on their ecological demands and the availability of respective habitats. East African savannahs are mostly interconnected and ecologically comparatively homogenous and thus provide a prerequisite for a rather panmictic distribution pattern for species occurring in this habitat. The Abyssinian white-eye Zosterops abyssinicus is a savannah inhabiting bird species, representing such a continuous distribution. This species occurs in high abundances and is very mobile, and past population genetic studies have suggested that gene flow is high and genetic differentiation is low even across relatively large geographic distances. Further, only little morphological differences were found. In order to test for potential divergence in acoustic traits despite its interconnected geographic distribution, we analyzed 2795 contact calls of Z.abyssinicus, which were recorded at 19 sites across Kenya. Our data indicate weak, but significant differentiation in call characteristics across latitudinal gradients. We found strong changes in call characteristics in populations where Z.abyssinicus occurs in sympatry with its highland congener, Zosterops poliogaster. However, the changes in call characteristics in sympatry were in different directions and lead to strong differentiation of the sympatric populations to other conspecific populations potentially representing a case of cascade reinforcement. The detected spatial gradients likely result from ecological differences and balancing effects of natural and sexual selection.

Population Dynamics of the Swallowtail Butterfly Battus polystictus polystictus (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) with Notes on Its Natural History.

Battus polystictus (Butler) is a butterfly from the Neotropical region, occurring in the Atlantic Forest and Pampa biomes. It is commonly found in forest fragments surrounded by meadow formations, subjected to marked seasonal changes. Here, we report the population dynamics of B. polystictus at a high latitude environment and provide notes on its natural history. Population parameters were estimated on a 12-month mark-recapture program and the seasonality of resources investigated by exhaustive mapping of host-plants and flowers. The number of butterflies per day was not stable during the year, ranging from zero (winter) to 22 (summer); the sex ratio was always male biased (3M:1F). The age structure was not constant, with an increase of older individuals toward summer. The population density was positively correlated with temperature, relative humidity, and day length. The residence time was lower for males, while the vagility was lower for females; the increment of resources at forest edges seems to increase the likelihood of occurrence of both sexes. The results shown here suggest that South Brazilian populations of B. polystictus have high ecological demands for spring and summer conditions, avoiding winter in diapause.

Shift of rove beetle assemblages in reforestations: Does nativity matter?

Creating plantations after clear-cutting of native forests is a serious risk for biodiversity. Rove beetles were collected by litter sifting in non-native plantations (black locust, Scots pine, red oak), in native oak plantation and mature oak forest as control. We hypothesised that diversity and composition of the rove beetles in the mature forest would be different from those in the plantations. We expected that reforestation with native species would have less harmful effects on rove beetles than reforestation with non-native species. In accordance with our hypotheses the overall number of rove beetle individuals and species, as well as the diversity of hygrophilous and decaying material dependent rove beetles were significantly lower in the plantations than in the mature oak forest. However, the overall species richness and the diversity of hygrophilous and decaying material dependent rove beetles were significantly higher in the native plantation compared to the non-native ones. There was no significant correlation between the diversity of these rove beetles and the soil moisture and decaying woody materials as limiting resources; thus, our study did not support the resource quantity hypothesis. The cover of herbs and shrubs, the soil temperature and soil pH were the most important factors controlling the diversity of rove beetles. Our results suggest that reforestation with native tree species provides more suitable habitat for rove beetles than non-native ones. However, it seems that rove beetle assemblages did not recover even after 40 years of reforestation with native tree species due to their specific ecological demands.