Epigeic Beetles Research Articles

Insect Biodiversity in a Prealpine Suburban Hilly Area in Italy.

Human activities and habitat fragmentation are known to greatly influence biodiversity. The aim of this study was to update an entomological checklist of a prealpine area in Italy, and also to evaluate the influence of different habitats and the proximity to cities on the entomological fauna. This study included different areas of a local park in Northern Italy, covering about 4000 ha, and situated at altitudes between 190 and 960 m asl. The surveys were carried out between 2010 and 2013 using different monitoring techniques (pitfall traps, car mounted nets, light traps, direct catches on soil and vegetation, visual sampling, gall collection). Furthermore, to assess the effect of habitat and locality on the composition of epigeic beetles, pitfall traps were set and inspected from April to September. All captured specimens were classified to species level. A total of 409 species were recorded, belonging to 7 orders and 78 families. A total of 76.1% were represented by Coleoptera, 13% Lepidoptera, 9.4% Hymenoptera, followed by other orders. In particular, some species with peculiar characteristics, or whose presence in the area had not been previously reported, were detected, such as Atheta pseudoelongatula, Ocypus rhaeticus, Tasgius tricinctus, Euplagia quadripunctaria, Scotopteryx angularia, Elachista constitella, Parornix bifurca, Oegoconia huemeri, and Lasius (Lasius) alienus. It seems possible that the habitat affected the community more than the locality. The woods showed a reduced biodiversity, and a simplified community structure. The comparison of the same habitats in different localities did not show significant differences.

Effect of scots pine forest management on soil properties and carabid beetle occurrence under post-fire environmental conditions - a case study from Central Europe

BackgroundFires have a fundamental impact on phytocoenoses and, depending on the size of the fire, can have a positive or negative effect. The role of fires in the formation of the species composition of plants, restoration of stands and changes in soil properties is well studied. However, the long-term relationship between forest management methods, soil properties and epigeic entomofauna assemblages in post-fire areas is still not clear. The effects of Scots pine stand management methods on biochemical soil properties and ground beetle assemblages in the largest post-fire area in Central Europe after the second World were investigated. The study was conducted in the Rudy Raciborskie Forest district in southern Poland. The soil properties and epigeic beetle community structure were analysed. The research covered areas with natural and artificial pine regeneration, which were subjected to various care treatments.ResultsThe tendency for higher accumulations of organic matter in the soil of stands that underwent natural regeneration was proven. The stimulating role of soil organic carbon on the activity of dehydrogenases in the soil of naturally renewed areas with silvicultural treatment (NRAT) was noted. Regardless of the manner of stand regeneration, the activity of β-glucosidase was higher in the areas in which breeding treatments were practised. Furthermore, managed forest stands presented a higher abundance of carabid beetles than stands without treatment practices. Thirteen epigeic beetle species from the families Geotrupidae, Carabidae, Curculionidae, Cerambycidae and Silphidae were captured, with beetles from the first two families being the most numerous. Rare epigeal carabid species in the fauna of Poland and Europe, such as Carabus glabratus (Paykull) and Carabus auronitens Fabr., found appropriate habitat conditions for survival in the post-fire areas. Compared with the other areas, in the NRAT area, there were better stand and soil properties and more features conducive to epigeic entomofaunal occurrences. The highest post-fire content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was recorded in the soils of the sites that underwent artificial regeneration. The results suggest that preparing the soil before the introduction of new vegetation affects the amount of aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).ConclusionsThe better performance of the NRAT stand draws attention to the positive aspects of the use of natural regeneration, both from ecological and economic perspectives. The effects of forest management on the amount of soil organic matter after fires have been proven. The natural regeneration of stands was conducive to the accumulation of organic matter. The enzymatic activity of soils is influenced by the renewal method and forest management strategy. The NRAT area was characterized by the highest number of carabid species.

Effect of spot burning of logging residues on the properties of mountain forest soils and the occurrence of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

We investigated the relationships between dehydrogenase activity and the physicochemical properties of mountain soils over three and five years from Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) logging residue spot burning and the occurrence of epigeic carabid beetles. Six study sites were utilised, including 18 study plots (nine plots in a mixed coniferous mountain forest site and nine plots in a mixed broadleaf mountain forest site), with five replicate pitfall traps at each site located in southern Poland. Soil samples from the organic horizon were taken for pH, organic carbon, nitrogen, base cation content, acidity and dehydrogenase activity determination. Carabid beetles were monitored in weekly intervals during the period of July to August 2016. The burning of logging residues led to modified soil properties, especially the dehydrogenase activity. In all the tested variants, the activity was higher in soil samples after the burning in comparison to the control variants. We show no positive correlation between dehydrogenase activity and the number of carabid specimens. The preferences of dominant predatory hygrophilous carabids to acid habitats with weakly decomposed organic matter were proven. Simultaneously, the soil organic matter content was positively related to the carabid abundance. The significant impact of forest site conditions and the date of logging residue burning on the number of caught specimens were confirmed. In contrast, no relationships between the species richness, species diversity, mean individual biomass and spot burning effect were found. This work supports the recommendation of spruce fine woody debris utilisation by spot burning on mountain regions with rich habitats presenting moderate wet conditions and small land falls.

The distribution of the surface-active beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Elateridae) in the agricultural landscapes of Northwestern Russia

This paper demonstrates that the species composition of the surface-active beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Elateridae) in the landscape site is determined by its local crop. The hygrophilous species are most common in areas with dense vegetation. Assemblages of the epigeic beetles in fields of different crops and adjacent habitats (field margins overgrown with shrubs and forbs) are separated from each other. Beetles associated with a leaf litter layer dominate on the field margins, while rarely occurring in the fields. The populations of the surface-active beetles in perennial grass fields and field margins have the highest species richness.

Vulnerability of boreal indicators (ground-dwelling beetles, understory plants and ectomycorrhizal fungi) to severe forest soil disturbance

Forest ecosystems can be greatly affected by multiple interacting disturbances, with outcomes that may range from degraded and poorly-functioning to novel but productive ecosystems. We assessed the vulnerability of boreal biotic indicators (epigeic beetles, understory plants, ectomycorrhizal fungi) to compound soil disturbances at 20years post-logging in northcentral British Columbia (Canada) to examine these issues of ecological integrity. The study was a full factorial experiment with 3 levels of organic matter removal (tree boles only; tree boles+logging slash; tree boles+logging slash+forest floors) and 3 levels of soil compaction (0, 2, 4cm impression), with a tree species split-plot of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and hybrid white spruce (Picea glauca×engelmannii). There was little effect of soil disturbance on ground-dwelling beetles, particularly beneath pine. Removal of forest floors and, to a lesser degree, compaction significantly altered plant and fungal communities. There was no effect of retaining logging slash but a consistent influence of tree species on biotic communities likely due to initial differences in conifer growth rates. Average community dissimilarity of the 3 guilds from a least disturbed baseline (tree bole removal, no compaction) increased linearly by a small amount (4–6%) with each level of disturbance severity. Some degree of soil disturbance across landscapes can be acceptable in creating regeneration niches for rare and functionally important pioneer species, but we also see losses in ecological integrity, such as the spread of invasive plants, that merit concern in managing these ecosystems.

Epigeic beetles (Coleoptera) of the Lake Świdwie nature reserve

The data presented concern preliminary results of faunistic research carried out on the epigeic beetle fauna in the Lake Świdwie nature reserve, NW Poland (UTM VV53). Fourteen pitfall traps were placed in four different habitats in the reserve. A total of 957 specimens were collected belonging to 83 species and 16 families: Byrrhidae, Carabidae, Catopidae, Curculionidae, Dermestidae, Dryopidae, Elateridae, Eucinetidae, Hydrophilidae, Geotrupidae, Leiodidae, Limnichidae, Silphidae, Staphylinidae, Scarabaeidae, Tenebrionidae. Representatives of Staphylinidae, Hydrophilidae and Curculionidae were determinate to the family level only.

Communities of epigeic beetles in tree line from montane spruce forest to secondary meadow in the different stage of the forest decline in the area of Modrava (Bohemian forest, Czech Republic)

Abstract Communities of epigeic beetles were studied using pitfall trapping on 10 plots with the different stage of decline and clear-cut plots without coarse woody debris. Species richness (number of all species, S), total species diversity as the Shannon-Wiener’s index (H) and equitability (e) were calculated in the DBreleve. The Ward’s method of hierarchical agglomerative classification with Euclidean distance was used for the differentiation of the communities on the plots. Species data for this analyse were represented by logarithm-transformed activities [log(x+1)]. The single-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical testing of differences in structural parameters (e.g. species richness and diversity) amongst distinguished groups of the plots. The species diversity and activity differs on glades without trees and coarse woody debris. The highest number of species was found in clear-cut areas. The lowest number of species was found on the plots with the living forest particularly invaded by bark beetle. This fact is caused by the fact that the clear-cut plots are invaded by ubiquitous and anthropotolerant species with good migration possibilities. These species are adapted to habitats without trees and are able to leave even in the habitats with very sparse or without vegetation. Species living in the forest even under the bark beetle attack are often stenotopic and adapted to the forest microclimate (higher humidity and low average temperature). These species are very sensitive to great difference in the daily changes of microclimate. The study of beetle communities support the hypothesis that the keeping of dead tree stands on plots after bark beetle outbreak is better for biodiversity conservation than the cutting down of trees and the abolishment of stems.

Succession of arthropods on xerothermophilous habitats formed by sand quarrying: Epigeic beetles (Coleoptera) and orthopteroids (Orthoptera, Dermaptera and Blattodea)

European Commision suggested the remedying biodiversity damage should be achieved through restoration of the environment as a whole to its baseline condition. Here we provide the evidence on non-market goods gained when spontaneous succession is allowed at sites subject to previous sand or gravel-sand quarrying, arguing for estimation of the value of natural resources formed during the quarrying process and for their reflection in the restoration plans. We analyzed the assemblages of beetles and orthopteroids formed at xerothermophilous microhabitats subject to spontaneous succession for 2–5, 6–15 and >15years, or formed at reclaimed sites within sandpits and gravel-sandpits in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. We collected a total of 7259 individuals from 401 species of beetles, and 2785 individuals from 43 species of orthopteroids. We found 62 red-listed species, among them eight CR species, including abundant Psammodius asper and Zorochros meridionalis; Labidura riparia (EN) was eudominant orthopteroid of early successional stages. Xerothermes subject to spontaneous succession hosted 95% of red-listed species found, whereas reclaimed sites hosted mostly the generalists and only 24% of red-listed species found. We identified 13 species specialized for drift sand (all beetles); most were present at xerothermes subject to intermediate or long-term succession. We identified 53 beetle and five orthopteroid species specialized for gravel-sand river terraces and xerothermophilous steppes. Striking 97% of red-listed beetles and 80% of red-listed orthopteroids found in the sandpits were absent in other comparable postindustrial habitats with fine-grained substrates. Sandpit xerothermes thus serve as important secondary strongholds for psammophilous beetles and orthopteroids.

Role of reclamation in the formation of functional structure of beetle communities: A different approach to restoration

The main objective of reclamation activities is to accelerate the restoration of post-industrial areas. However current ecological studies that compare reclaimed and non-reclaimed habitats evaluate these areas mainly by species richness and conservation potential. We thus tested which environmental characteristics of the spoil heap determine the structure of the beetle communities and their successional rate. During the years 1993–2007, we sampled epigeic beetles on reclaimed and non-reclaimed parts of a spoil heap in the city of Ostrava, Czech Republic. For comparison, we used multivariate methods and functional diversity indices. Our ordination models revealed that the beetle communities on the non-reclaimed part of the spoil heap were determined by forest cover and time; in contrast, the communities on the reclaimed habitat were determined by herb cover and bare ground cover. Compositional heterogeneity was significantly higher on the non-reclaimed part of the spoil heap. A comparison of the functional diversity indices showed significantly higher functional richness and evenness on the spontaneously restored part of the spoil heap. Our results provide evidence that technical reclamation is a significant disturbance that slows down the successional rate of beetle communities and negatively influences their structure. We thus recommend that at least some parts of the areas needing to be reclaimed be allowed to undergo spontaneous succession during reclamation. The areas undergoing spontaneous succession would become refuges for particular species while also supporting the heterogeneity of the habitat.

Influence of soddy-podzolic soil improvement on the abundance and structure of complexes of epigeic predatory beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Staphylinidae) in Northwestern Russia

Improvement of soddy-podzolic soils results in an increase of species richness and abundance of the most common epigeic predatory ground beetle and rove beetle species (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Staphylinidae) in the agrocenoses of Northwestern Russia.

Does a minimal intervention approach threaten the biodiversity of protected areas? A multi-taxa short-term response to intervention in temperate oak-dominated forests

Efficient conservation management must be applied in protected areas in order to slow the loss of biodiversity in Europe. Regarding forests, a conservation approach based on minimal intervention prevails in most protected woodlands, thus facilitating the expansion of closed-canopy forests at the expense of open forests. To identify effective conservation strategies for protected forests, the minimal intervention or “hands-off” approach must be compared with active measures to support biodiversity.We carried out a study in the oak-dominated forests of Podyji National Park (Czech Republic), an historically managed area left for natural succession since 1950. Twelve experimental clearings were created in closed-canopy forests within the core zone of the park; six of these clearings were connected to forest edges and open meadows, the remaining six clearings were isolated from open habitats within closed forest. To assess the importance of minimal intervention and active management measures in protected forests, we compared the richness and composition of insects, reptiles, birds and vascular plants in the clearings and in four reference habitats, including closed forest, forest edge, open forest, and meadow, in the first season following the intervention.In comparison to closed-canopy forest, the clearings had higher species richness of butterflies, saproxylic and floricolous beetles, reptiles, and vascular plants but lower richness of moths and epigeic beetles, and similar richness of birds. For most groups, the species composition of clearings differed from that of closed forest or even the forest edge, indicating that the latter habitats cannot serve as a sufficient replacements for the conservation of open woodland species. The species richness of isolated clearings was generally lower than that of clearings connected to open habitats, and their communities contained a larger proportion of species associated with closed forest. Most threatened species were associated with clearings or open forest, closed forest and meadow hosted only a few.The creation of the clearings in closed-canopy forests had a positive effect on overall species richness and supported threatened species in most model groups. It is thus a valuable management tool in the conservation of temperate woodland biodiversity. Our results also point to the importance of connectivity of open habitats in wooded landscapes. Further surveys of the clearings are needed to ascertain the effect of such interventions to see how communities change throughout succession, or alternatively to what extent hindering succession by repeated cutting may alter communities.

Post-industrial areas as successional habitats: Long-term changes of functional diversity in beetle communities

Understanding succession is one of the main goals in ecosystem ecology, but very few studies regarding arthropods have actually examined this topic in sufficient detail. Missing are studies that examine the long-term trend of primary succession of arthropods in post-industrial habitats and also the functional consequences of primary succession on arthropods. We used epigeic beetles as a model group to investigate the process of primary succession of arthropods on spoil heaps for about 30 years of spontaneous development. For carabid beetles, we calculated indices of functional diversity (functional evenness, functional richness and functional divergence). To quantify functional diversity we used these functional traits: wing morphology, habitat preference and humidity dependence. Our results reveal that the main environmental factor determining the structure of beetle communities is spoil heap age, which is itself correlated with forest cover. The descriptive rank-abundance models that best fit our community structure were Gambin and Zipf – Mandelbrot. Abundances of brachypterous and forest species were positively correlated with successional age. Our results provide evidence that primary succession in post-industrial habitats differs from that in more natural habitats due to the rapid rate of successional changes and their attributes. In particular, abiotic factors are constitutive in comparison to interspecific competition during succession. The canonical correspondence analysis model identified that irregular disturbances are another important phenomenon of succession in post-industrial habitats. We assume that constant indices of functional evenness and richness reflect rapid colonization from surrounding habitats. Functional divergence was significantly correlated with increasing proportion of forest species.

Effects of Fire Intensity on Litter Arthropod Communities in Ozark Oak Forests, Arkansas, U.S.A

Fires are a significant source of landscape scale disturbance in forested ecosystems, but fire effects also vary on small spatial scales due to differences in fuel loads and local environmental conditions. We tested the hypothesis that such variation influences post fire arthropod communities and faunal recovery rates on a 1 m2 scale. We measured the abundance and species richness of selected arthropod taxa pre- and post-fire in patches of leaf litter experimentally burned at different intensities. Arthropod abundance declined sharply immediately after a burn and decreased with increasing fire intensity. Consistent with other studies of this system, the effects of fire on arthropod communities were still apparent >4 w post burn. The abundance of epigeic beetles recovered more quickly than the abundance of ants or springtails in some treatments. Recovery rates also differed among treatments but did not consistently support the prediction that recovery would be faster in plots subject to low intensity burns. We conclude that small scale differences in intensity within prescribed fires have measurable effects on litter arthropod communities in Ozark forests; however, these differences appear to be overshadowed by the more general effects of fire on arthropods.

Estimation of the role of predatory epigeic beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Staphylinidae) in regulation of pest population density in agroecosystems

Epigeic polyphagous predatory beetles can regulate the pest abundance. The range of population densities at which regulation is possible is specific to each predator-prey subsystem and can be determined experimentally. In the subsystem of ground and rove beetles (Carabidae and Staphylinidae) and the cabbage maggot Delia brassicae Bouche and in that of Carabus hampei Kust. and the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, regulation occurs at low pest densities: in the former subsystem, at oviposition rates not exceeding 3 eggs per day per plant, and in the latter, at the pest density varying from 1 to 36 eggs per potato plant. Within these density ranges, both the absolute and relative number of pest individuals eliminated by the predatory beetles increase. The maximum fraction of the pests destroyed by these entomophages is observed at medium prey population densities, which corresponds to functional response of type III (Holling, 1965).

The effect of alpine ski-slopes on epigeic beetles: does even a nature-friendly management make a change?

Unique alpine ecosystems are threatened by skiing activities all over the world. We studied the effect of alpine ski-slopes on epigeic beetles by pitfall trapping in the Praděd National Nature Reserve (Czech Republic) where the management of ski-slopes has never caused any disturbance to the vegetation cover. Using a mixed modelling approach, we demonstrate a significant effect of ski-slope management on the epigeic beetle community, including its functional diversity. Beetle species responded to the ski-slope individually. We found a noticeable decline in the abundance of most species in the patches with artificially increased accumulation of snow, i.e. close to the interior edges of the ski-slopes. Above all, the ski-slopes were not preferred by relict species such as Neagolius limbolarius, Minota carpathica and Liotrichus affinis but vagile widespread carabids (Amara lunicollis, Poecilus versicolor) and herbivores associated with nitrophilous plants (Gastrophysa viridula) were more abundant on the ski-slopes. A few stenotypic carnivorous and herbivorous species were found on the ski-slopes. A high abundance of mountain herbivores such as leaf beetle Timarcha metallica reflected an increased occurrence of their host plants and carnivores such as Carabus sylvestris and Pterostichus oblongopunctatus could prefer ski-slopes due to the locally increased food supply. With respect to both uniqueness of alpine communities and to the small extent of alpine treeless zone, we recommend considering very cautiously any potential expansion of ski resorts, even those with reasonable ‘nature-friendly’ practices.

Seasonal patterns in the structure of epigeic beetle (Coleoptera) assemblages in two subarctic habitats in Nunavut, Canada

AbstractSeasonal patterns in the taxonomic and functional structure of epigeic Coleoptera assemblages in wet and mesic habitats were studied in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada. Using pan and pitfall traps, 2638 beetles were collected between 21 June and 13 August 2010. Fifty species (including 17 new territory records) in 11 families were identified. The biomass of each specimen was estimated, and each was assigned to a functional group. Species composition differed between habitats throughout the active season and there was a rapid compositional turnover even though species diversity was similar in both habitats and among sampling periods. The functional beetle assemblages in the two habitats were different, and both assemblages experienced seasonal turnover in function; this effect was more pronounced in the mesic habitats. The beetle fauna in both habitats was predominantly entomophagous. We also examined the influence of seasonal weather patterns on assemblage structure: there is a significant relationship between mean daily temperature and assemblage structure. This relationship indicates that changes in weather (or longer-term changes in climate) could affect the diversity and ecological function of insects in this system. Given the significance of insects in the north, this could result in important changes to northern ecology.

Communities of epigeic beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Staphylinidae) on the plantations of herbs for energetic purposes

Communities of epigeic beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Staphylinidae) on the plantations of herbs for energetic purposes

The importance of epigeic beetles (Coleoptera) in tropical paddy fields: Example from Cameroon

Indicators of diversity (population density, relative number of species, percentage of singletons, evenness) of ground beetles (Carabidae) and rove beetles (Staphylinidae) in rain-fed rice fields were assessed between 1995 and 1999 at Garoua in the Benue valley in North Cameroon. A total of 4369 individuals belonging to 44 species of carabids and 2109 staphylinids in 27 species were caught by means of pitfall traps. Among the carabids, five species: Menigius lucidus var. strigiceps Qued., Chlaeniostenus denticulatus elatus Erichson, Lissauchenius venator (Laferté), Pheropsophus marginatus Dej. and Abacetus crenulatus Dej. in decreasing order, were dominant. In the staphylinid group, the species Paederus sabaeus Erichson was the most common, followed by Stenus ravus Puthz and Stenus (mendicus) senegalensis Bernhauer. Shannon-Weiner and evenness indices varied marginally from year to year. Diversity values remained relatively low ( < 2.8) among each group of beetles, which indicated that paddy fields were moderately populated by this group of polyphagous predators. Features of predacious soil surface-dwelling beetles in West African rice ecosystems are discussed in the light of Integrated Pest Management concepts.

Species change in an urban setting—ground and rove beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Staphylinidae) in Berlin

The influence of environmental parameters on epigeic beetle communities of forest fragments in an urbanization gradient was studied in Berlin. Eight deciduous forests along a rural to urban gradient were sampled with pitfall traps. Species richness did not decline across the rural to urban gradient. As expected, impervious surface cover as an indicator of urbanization correlated not only with habitat fragmentation and heat island effect but also with altered soil properties. The proportion of forest specialist staphylinid species decreased with increasing urbanization. The differences between staphylinid communities of neighboring forest fragments were enhanced in the most urban parts, probably due to increased habitat fragmentation. Furthermore, the loss of flightless species with increasing habitat isolation emphasized the influence of habitat fragmentation. The carabid communities revealed the urbanization effects not as clearly as the staphylinid communities, but both taxa revealed that direct anthropogenic habitat alteration, indicated by removal of decaying wood, favors open-habitat specialists. The extent of the urbanization influence seems to vary seasonally. Environmental parameters associated with urbanization explain the ordination of species communities in the winter better than in the summer. Heat island effect is suggested as an explanation for this difference.