Pitfall Traps Research Articles

Hunt for the Tekapo tiger (… beetle)

ABSTRACT The tiger beetle Zecicindela tekapoensis was described in 2018 from three specimens collected on the river flats of the lower Tekapo River, Canterbury, New Zealand. An extensive 2019 survey of various habitat types around the lower Pukaki and Tekapo Rivers resulted in the collection of additional specimens. Zecicindela tekapoensis was absent from degraded tussock lands and areas dominated by exotic pasture grasses, preferring open uncultivated shrubby herb field dominated by Rosa rubiginosa, Pilosella officinarum/praealtum, Styphelia nesophila, Muehlenbeckia axillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum and Carex breviculmis. Relative abundance was estimated at 0.042 beetles per pitfall trap night over the Tekapo river flats.

Results-based agri-environmental schemes can reflect habitat integrity for a non-target taxonomic group: Carabidae

Results-based agri-environment schemes are emerging as a valuable tool to incentivise optimal management of farmed habitats for biodiversity targets. Results-based payment schemes in Ireland use multicriteria assessments to score habitat integrity for specific targets, linking outcomes to farmer payments. Habitat integrity for a specific target is expected to have indirect co-benefits for wider farmland biodiversity. However, we lack an understanding of how results-based payment scheme assessments relate to other bioindicators of habitat integrity.Our research focuses on a results-based payment scheme which incentivises better terrestrial habitat integrity with the aim of improving watercourse quality. We explore the relationship between non-target carabid beetles, vascular plants and the results-based payment scheme’s multicriteria habitat assessment. It was anticipated that carabid beetle communities would reflect the results-based payment scheme's definition of habitat integrity across the range of scores. Pitfall trapping for carabid beetles and vegetation surveys were carried out in 19 peatland and 18 wet grassland plots, categorised into high, medium, and low habitat integrity using the scores assigned by the results-based payment scheme.We found that the results-based payment scheme’s multicriteria assessment broadly reflects habitat integrity for non-target carabid beetles in peatlands and grasslands. Eurytopic and disturbance tolerant species showed a greater association with low and medium scoring plots. Higher scoring plots supported greater diversity, with intact peatland being particularly important for hygrophilous specialists.Synthesis and application: Results-based payment scheme's multicriteria assessments have co-benefits at plot-level for non-target carabid beetles and incentivising optimal management can have positive conservation outcomes for this group. Inclusion of hydrological result indicators where relevant in results-based payment scheme assessments is recommended to reward wider biodiversity. Carabids are suitable as monitoring taxa where hydrological functioning is a results-based payment scheme priority.

Now you see me, now you don't: verifying the absence of alien invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes in South Africa.

Anoplolepis gracilipes is an invasive species that is a major threat to native ecosystems worldwide. It has been listed as one of the top 100 worst invasive species in the world and is well known for its negative impact on native arthropods and some vertebrates. This study aimed to confirm the presence or absence of A. gracilipes in some major South African harbours. We did so by surveying four harbours in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, using pitfall trapping, yellow pan traps, and baiting. In addition, ant collections from Iziko Museums of South Africa (Cape Town, South Africa), University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg campus, South Africa), Iimbovane Outreach Project (Stellenbosch University, South Africa), and AfriBugs CC (Pretoria, South Africa) were examined for specimens of A. gracilipes. The invasive species A. gracilipes was not detected from any of the sampled harbours during this study, nor in the main ant collections in South Africa. The only, and potentially erroneous published record of A. gracilipes in South Africa, is from Durban harbour and subsequent possibly erroneous citizen science observations are from other coastal sites such as Gansbaai, Knysna, Table Bay, and Kalk Bay. This is a positive outcome for conservation authorities as this species is highly invasive and, if introduced, will likely outcompete native fauna and result in ecosystem collapse. Although A. gracilipes was not detected in the samples from this study, early detection and eradication of this species should be prioritised. This can be achieved through existing pest monitoring programs at harbours, and continued border biosecurity measures.

Diversity of insects on bitti stands (Vitex cofassus)

Insects are the most abundant group of animals compared to other animal groups, this is related to the high adaptability of insects to various types of habitats. This study aims to analyze the diversity of soil surface insects and arboreal insects (nocturnal and diurnal) on bitti stands (Vitex cofassus) in Belabori Village, Parangloe District, Gowa Regency. Data collection was carried out for 2 months starting from October to November 2019 using 3 trap techniques (Sweep Net, Pitfall Trap, Light Trap). The results showed that the insects caught each consisted of 8 orders, 19 families, 28 types and a total of 231 individuals divided into 45 soil-surface insects, 163 nocturnal insects and 21 diurnal insects. The order most commonly found in ground-level insects is the order Hymenoptera while the arboreal insects (Nocturnal and Diurnal) are the order Coleoptera. The Shanon-Wieiner (H’) diversity index category in bitti stands in ground-level insects and arboreal insects (Nocturnal and Diurnal) is classified as a medium category and the Margalef species wealth index (Dmg) is classified as a low category.

:Ecology and Conservation of the Dutch Ground Beetle Fauna: Lessons from 66 Years of Pitfall Trapping

Previous articleNext article No AccessZoologyEcology and Conservation of the Dutch Ground Beetle Fauna: Lessons from 66 Years of Pitfall Trapping. By Hans Turin, D. Johan Kotze, Stefan Müller-Kroehling, Pavel Saska, John Spence, and Theodoor Heijerman. Wageningen (The Netherlands): Wageningen Academic Publishers. $119.00. 451 p.; ill.; index. ISBN: 978-90-8686-369-3 (hc); 978-90-8686-921-3 (eb). 2022.Pietro BrandmayrPietro BrandmayrBiology, Ecology & Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Quarterly Review of Biology Volume 98, Number 2June 2023 Published in association with Stony Brook University Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/725267 For permission to reuse, please contact [email protected]PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Siirt İli Buğday Ekiliş Alanlarında Zararlı Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae)’in Dağılımı İle Zararlı ve Faydalı Böcek Türlerinin Belirlenmesi

Wheat is nowadays the most important source of food on earth. Many pest species have been identified that affecting the wheat yield and quality negatively. This study was carried out to identify harmful and beneficial insect (predator) species and of distribution of Sunn pest in wheat cultivation areas in the districts (Siirt province Merkez, Kurtalan, Eruh, Tillo, Şirvan, Pervari and Baykan) of Siirt Province, Turkey in 2018 and 2019. Samplings were taken periodically 1-2 week from April to July. The sweep nets, frame, pitfall trap and visual control methods were used for sampling. At the end of the study, 31 species belonging to 5 orders and 18 families were determined. The distributions of the species were recorded as 16 species belonging to 7 families in Coleoptera, 10 species belonging to 7 families in Hemiptera, and 1 species belonging to each family in Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, Neuroptera and Diptera. The most common and abundant species: The main pest Eurygaster integriceps Puton, 1881, the secondary pests Aelia acuminata (Linnaeus, 1758), Dolycoris baccarum (Linnaeus, 1758) from Hemiptera, Cephus pygmaeus (Linnaeus, 1767) from Hymenoptera Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer, 1773, from Orthoptera were determined. Carpocoris pudicus (Poda, 1761) and Carpocoris fuscispinus (Boheman, 1850) species are the first records for the fauna of Siirt province. Furthermore, Clanoptilus geniculatus (Germar, 1823) and Haplomalachius flabellatus (Frivaldzsky, 1835), Coleoptera (Malachiidae) Libelloides macaronius (Scopoli, 1763) Neuroptera (Ascalaphidae) species are the first records for Siirt province. The highest average density of Eurygaster integriceps (2 adult+nymph / m2) was found in the Garzan and Gozpinari locations of Kurtalan district. Besides, among the beneficial species, general predators Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens, 1836) and Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus, 1758) are remark as the most common and abundant species.

Optimization of 13-tetradecenyl acetate sex pheromone for trapping Melanotus communis (Coleoptera: Elateridae).

Corn wireworm, Melanotus communis Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Elateridae), is an economically important larval pest of root and tuber crops in the United States. Previous work to estimate field-level abundance of M. communis has focused on grain-based larval baits placed in soil. However, this sampling method is labor intensive and may not estimate population size accurately. Recent discovery of the M. communis sex pheromone, 13-tetradecenyl acetate, provides a new method to monitor this pest during the adult stage. Early studies with this pheromone showed that different trapping methods might enhance catch and improve trap servicing. We hypothesized that placing lures on elevated traps would increase M. communis capture relative to the in-ground pitfall trapping that is currently used. We had 2 objectives for this study: (a) to compare pheromone captures among in-ground pitfall traps, on-ground pitfalls, elevated pitfalls (1 m), or elevated sticky cards (1 m) and (b) test lure longevity by aging the lures outdoors at 8-, 6-, 4-, 2-, and 0-wk intervals prior to trap deployment in the field. Experiments were conducted in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida during the 2021 and 2022 field seasons. Results highlight large variation in M. communis abundance across the 4 states. We showed that 1 m elevated pheromone traps caught the most beetles. The age of the lure prior to deployment had a significant effect on trap catch. The lures that were aged for fewer weeks attracted significantly more beetles, with 0- and 2-wk-old lures capturing the greatest numbers.

Seasonal and Periodical Assessment of the Abundance and Diversity of Epigaeic Invertebrates in an Urban Forest Remnant, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Urban Forest (UF) refers to a complex human-environment system encompassing urban and peri-urban vegetation such as gardens, rivers and coastal corridors, and uninhabited yards. Human beings benefit from a healthy UF in a variety of ways such as recreation, disasters management, and the lessening of the effects of environmental deterioration (caused by the ongoing anthropogenic activities) like air pollution and ozone concentration affecting many epigaeic fauna. Epigaeic Invertebrates (EIs) are above ground foraging or litter dwelling invertebrates carrying important roles in UFs ecosystems such as ecosystem engineers and pests’ natural enemies. The present study assessed the influence of dry and wet seasons and different periods of a day (morning, afternoon, and evening hours) towards the abundance and diversity of ground dwelling invertebrates around urban forest remnant in Dar es salaam city, Tanzania. Data collection used pitfall trap, baited traps, and dry leaf litter sifting methods. A total of 10,363 EIs individuals were collected with 133 morpho species, 87 families and 18 orders (Hymenoptera dominated by 71.4%). Wet season had significantly higher abundance (6,360 individuals with 121 morpho species) than dry season (4,003 individuals and 88 morpho species), possibly due to the higher availability of food resources during rainy times. However, quite unexpectedly dry season had higher species diversity, probably due to the over dominance of a very aggressive Formicidae species in wet season that displaced some intolerable species. Also, the overall variations of species diversity and abundance between morning, afternoon, and evening hours were significantly different but higher in the morning. This suggested that EIs were active at different times of the day but were more attracted to the morning sunshine and decreased as the land became hotter. This study depicts urban forests to be among world ecosystems with relatively high levels of EIs biodiversity and hence an urgent call for their conservation efforts before it is too late.

Diversity of Hymenoptera at Agri Biodiversity Park, Hyderabad

The diversity and abundance of Hymenoptera at the Agri-biodiversity Park of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad was studied from September 2019 to January 2020. Five collection methods (pitfall trap, yellow pan trap, manual collection, light trap and yellow sticky trap) were used and 6,773 individuals under 26 families were collected. The most abundant family was Formicidae (29.29%) followed by Platygastridae (8.15%) and Braconidae (7.59%). Yellow pan trap recorded the maximum number of individuals (2,734) as well as the maximum number of families (25). The Shannon-Weiner diversity Index, Margalef’s species richness index and Pielou’s evenness index of the study area were 2.628, 2.834 and 0.807, respectively.

The dispersal ability of the invasive larger grain borer and the cosmopolitan maize weevil after brief exposure to a newer insecticide formulation

The larger grain borer (Prostephanus truncatus) and the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais) are major pests of stored maize. Given the threat of these insects to our maize supply, the increasing insecticide resistance to currently used chemical control tactics such as phosphine, and the removal of effective chemistries from the market (methyl-bromide), there is a need for alternative integrated pest management tools. Here, we present a more realistic test of the effectiveness of a novel insecticide formulation (methoprene + deltamethrin + piperonyl butoxide, PBO; tradename, Gravista ®) in comparison to past conventional insecticide evaluations at reducing the horizontal dispersal capacity to food patches of both stored product species in comparison to an older formulation (methoprene + deltamethrin; tradename, Diacon IGR+®). For these experiments, we used a dispersal apparatus (consisting of 30 or 70 cm PVC pipe modified with a baited pitfall trap at one end) where we introduced cohorts of adults after exposure on concrete arenas at labeled rates and gave them 48 h to disperse to a novel food source consisting of 15 g of maize. The dispersal capacity for P. truncatus, measured as the percentage of adults dispersing to the novel food source, was significantly reduced by 90–97% after exposure to Gravista or Diacon IGR+ compared to the control. By contrast, the dispersal capacity for S. zeamais was only reduced by 5–25% after exposure to either insecticide formulation compared to the control. Both formulations performed equally well for each individual species, but dispersal of S. zeamais was not strongly impacted. Overall, our study highlights the importance of using realistic behavioral assays in comprehensive insecticide testing to provide a full picture of insecticide efficacy.

Effectiveness of Pitfall Trap Colors in Monitoring Adults of Blister Beetle Meloe proscarabaeus Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Meloidae) in Faba Bean Fields at El-Farafra Oasis Egypt

The blister beetles Meloe proscarabaeus Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Meloidae), is a dangerous pest that threatens the agriculture of faba bean fields in El-Farafra Oasis, New Valley Governorate. In this study, an evaluation of the efficiency of different pit-fall trap colors for capturing adults of the blister beetles has been performed in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) fields. The experiment revealed that the green and red traps showed the highest number of captured beetles during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, which was highly significant to other traps’ colors. On the other hand, black, blue, gray, white, and yellow traps showed insignificant differences in the number of captured beetles. Concerning the sex of trapped beetles; it could be highlighted that the green trap attracted more female beetles than males with significant differences. Inversely, the red color trap attracted more males than females with significant differences. Approximately 40% of the captured beetle population was recorded in March, while only 11% were trapped in April. A Green pit-fall trap could be deemed a new estimating assay to suppress M. proscarabaeus adults in faba bean fields since the color trap variation affected the number of captured beetles. Therefore, color traps can be relied upon as an effective method in controlling beetles without the number of beetles reaching the limit of economic damage and in a manner that is safe for the environment

Çataldağ (Balıkesir-Bursa) bölgesindeki yaşlı çökük geniş yapraklı ağaç türlerinde bulunan saproksilik böcek türlerinin (Coleoptera) belirlenmesi üzerine araştırmalar

With this study, Cataldag province extending at the provincial borders of Balıkesir and Bursa, the field studies were performed at 11 different study areas per three weeks using pitfall traps and window traps with old and hollow seven different original forest tree species (Alnus glutinosa, Carpinus betulus, Platanus orientalis, Fagus orientalis, Quercus petreae, Q. cerris, Q. cerris x Q. infectoria) in between April and November months during 2014-2015. At the result of the study, 112 saproxylic beetles species belonging to 83 genus of 25 families were identified. Anobium hederae Ihssen, Gastrallus corsicus Schilsky, Hemicoelus canaliculatus (Thomson), Cryptophagus pubescens Sturm, Symbiotes gibberosus (Lucas), Triplax russica (Linnaeus), T. scutellaris Charpentier, Hylis cariniceps (Reitter), Isorhipis marmottani (Bonvouloir), Phloiotrya tenuis (Hampe), Litargus balteatus (LeConte), Sacodes flavicollis (Kiesenwetter), Tetratoma desmarestii Latreille and Synchita undata Guérin-Méneville are the new records for Turkish beetles fauna. 89 saproxylic beetles of 22 families are recorded for Balıkesir and Bursa provinces for the first time. 35 species in red list prepared for endangered saproxylic beetle species in Europe and Mediterrenean basin were determined. Podeonius acuticornis endangered (EN), Cardiophorus gramineus, Megapenthes lugens, Mycetochara quadrimaculata near threatened (NT), Ischnodes sanguinicollis and Lucanus ibericus vulnerable (VU) categories are included. 88 saproxylic beetle species were determined in Susurluk and the most species were collected from P. orientalis (32 species), nonetheless 56 saproxylic beetle species were determined in Mustafakemalpaşa and the most species were collected from Q. cerris (20 species). Saproxylic beetle species were collected with 82 % window trap and 25 % pitfall trap.

Relationship of Macrofauna and Soil Organic Carbon in Various Types of Agroforestry, Sumberejo Village, Batuwarno District, Wonogiri Regency

Macrofauna affects carbon and nutrient cycling, modifies soil structure and water-holding capacity, and contributes to the provision of various ecosystem services [6]. Agroforestry systems with diverse tree cover support macrofauna diversity that supports sustainable soil ecosystems [3]. Research conducted by [5] that agricultural practices associated with agroforestry systems in Honduras resulted in relatively abundant and diverse soil macrofauna communities. This study examines the diversity of macrofauna in the agroforestry system because in the agroforestry system various types of stands will produce plant litter. This research was conducted in Sumberejo Village, Baturetno District, Wonogiri Regency. This research was conducted on teak agroforestry, mahogany agroforestry, mixed agroforestry, and seasonal crops that did not apply the agroforestry system. Diversity of macrofauna using pitfall trap and monolith method. This study examines soil organic carbon because it is used as energy by soil macrofauna. This study aims to determine the relationship between soil macrofauna and soil organic carbon. The relationship between soil macrofauna and soil organic carbon is negatively correlated, mahogany agroforestry land organic carbon is included in the high category but the total macrofauna individuals found are few, but the macrofauna diversity index of mahogany agroforestry land is high.

Bait attractiveness changes community metrics in dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae).

Species relative abundance (SRA) is an essential attribute of biotic communities, which can provide an accurate description of community structure. However, the sampling method used may have a direct influence on SRA quantification, since the use of attractants (e.g., baits, light, and pheromones) can introduce additional sources of variation in trap performance. We tested how sampling aided by baits affect community data and therefore alter derived metrics. We tested our hypothesis on dung beetles using data from flight interception traps (FITs) as a baseline to evaluate baited pitfall trap performance. Our objective was to assess the effect of bait attractiveness on estimates of SRA and assemblage metrics when sampled by pitfall traps baited with human feces.Dung beetles were sampled at three terra firme primary forest sites in the Brazilian Amazon. To achieve our objective, we (i) identified species with variable levels of attraction to pitfall baited with human feces; (ii) assessed differences in SRA; and (iii) assessed the effect of bait on the most commonly used diversity metrics derived from relative abundance (Shannon and Simpson indices). We identified species less and highly attracted to the baits used, because most attracted species showed greater relative abundances within baited pitfall traps samples compared with our baseline. Assemblages sampled by baited pitfall traps tend to show lower diversity and higher dominance than those sampled by unbaited FITs. Our findings suggest that for ecological questions focused on species relative abundance, baited pitfall traps may lead to inaccurate conclusions regarding assemblage structure. Although tested on dung beetles, we suggest that the same effect could be observed for other insect taxa that are also sampled with baited traps. We highlight a need for further studies on other groups to elucidate any potential effects of using baits.

Trapping analysis of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Kurunthamalai, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Ant species were collected from three different methods bait trapping (BTM), all-out search method (AOSM), and pitfall trapping method (PTM) method. A total of 14 species belonging to the eight genera and four subfamilies are listed in the Palamalai region. Monomorium indicum, Solenopsis germinata, Trichomyrmex crinieceps, Trichonymex glaber, Camponotus mendax, C. guticollis, C. irritans, C. parius, C. rufoglaucus, Oecophylla smaragdina,,Diacamma indicum, Leptogenys chinensis, Tetraponera rufonigra and Tetraponera spp were reported. Shannon Wiener, Simpson diversity, Dominance, Evenness, Menhinick, Margalef, Fisher alpha and Berger- Parker calculations and diversity richness are reported.

Book review of ecology and conservation of the dutch ground beetle fauna – lessons from 66 years of pitfall trapping

Book review of ecology and conservation of the dutch ground beetle fauna – lessons from 66 years of pitfall trapping

External DNA contamination and efficiency of bleach decontamination for arthropod diet analysis

AbstractDNA metabarcoding is increasingly used to analyze the diet of arthropods, including spiders. However, high sensitivity to DNA contamination makes it difficult to apply to organisms obtained from mass‐sampling methods such as pitfall traps. An alternative is to hand‐sample spiders, but it is unclear how effectively this prevents external contamination, especially with new knowledge showing the wide spread of eDNA in the environment. Protocols using bleach to remove external DNA have been tested on several invertebrates, though testing with both mass‐sampling methods and spiders is lacking. Here, we used wolf spiders (Lycosidae) to assess the risk of external DNA contamination from pitfall trapping and hand sampling, and the efficacy of bleach decontamination. We first conducted a contamination experiment where we placed spiders in pitfall traps containing trapping medium and a nonprey insect species to simulate external DNA contamination. We also compared sampling methods by collecting spiders using pitfall traps and hand sampling. Spiders from the contamination experiment and sampling method comparison were either bleached or untreated, then metabarcoded using multiple primer pairs. The contamination experiment resulted in the contamination of almost all spiders from pitfall traps, which was successfully eliminated with bleaching. Interestingly, there was no difference in the number of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) detected per spider between pitfall trapping and hand sampling but bleaching resulted in significantly fewer ASV detections for both methods. Additionally, bleaching, but not sampling method, affected the taxonomic diet composition for both hand‐sampled and pitfall‐trapped spiders, indicating similar levels of external contamination. Our results are the first to confirm that DNA metabarcoding can be used together with bleaching for spiders sampled from pitfall traps, and that hand sampling does not necessarily exclude external DNA contamination. Thus, diet studies using metabarcoding should address the risk of external contamination with field‐sampled arthropods, regardless of sampling method.

The long unknown: Rediscovery of the long sunskink, Lampropholis elongata (Squamata: Scincidae)—After almost a decade, and after 50 years of data deficiency

AbstractConservation management cannot proceed in the absence of the basic ecological data necessary to develop conservation strategies for a species. Species considered Data Deficient and possibly extinct are poorly known, and are often overlooked in conservation planning. This is despite a growing body of evidence indicating that Data Deficient species are more likely to be threatened by extinction compared to well‐studied taxa. Hence, there is an immediate need to resolve data deficiency, and to search for species that are possibly extinct. Here, we conducted the first systematic search for a Data Deficient Australian skink, Lampropholis elongata (long sunskink), which prior to our study, had not been seen for approximately 9 years. A combination of pitfall trapping and active searches was used in attempt to detect the species. We rediscovered L. elongata at four sites within its known distribution on the southern edge of the New England Tablelands Bioregion in New South Wales, Australia. Our findings suggest that the species can be detected relatively easily using active survey methods, especially by inspecting tussock bases. We further highlight that areas of high canopy openness and high cover of Poa sieberiana (grey tussock‐grass) appear to be key habitat for the species.

Under the sun or stars: how a dune ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) community is shaped along the day and night

AbstractAtlantic Forest (AF) is a threatened megadiverse biome distributed from north to south along the ocean of South America and is considered a hotspot of biodiversity. Currently, over 3000 ant taxa are known to occur in AF ecosystems, and many more are expected but may never be acknowledged. The patterns and processes structuring AF ant communities are not well known, urging such studies. Temperature is a fundamental environmental condition that modulates ant species occurrences at different local and regional scales. Global warming may deeply impact species occurrence, dynamics and interactions, and efforts to amplify our understanding of AF biodiversity are urgent. Ants are widely distributed in the dunes, and many species are sensitive to local changes in temperature as some species are considered thermophilic. In open areas such as dunes, the temperature varies considerably over 24 h, with great changes mainly between day and night. In this study, we sought to answer whether the foredune ant community of the Restinga, one of the habitats of the AF, is structured by temperature from day and night. For this, we tested the following hypotheses: (i) temperature influences ant diversity; (ii) in warmer periods, there is a decrease in richness, with an increase in abundance; and (iii) ant species composition varies throughout the day and, consequently, at different temperatures. We arbitrarily drew a parallel transect to the ocean composed of 15 pitfall trap units spaced every 30 m. Traps were changed in five sampling periods: T1 (9:10–13:10 h), T2 (13:40–18:40 h), T3 (19:00–23:00 h), T4 (23:00–03:00 h) and T5 (03:00–07:00 h). In each period, we recorded the ambient temperature and relative humidity. We recovered 11 ant species on the foredunes. Our results showed that the richness and abundance of ants in the daytime period was higher than in the night‐time period, suggesting that temperature positively affected these two parameters of the studied community. The species composition also changed over the sampling periods. Considering that our aim was to describe the species diversity across 24 h of sampling, this ‘quick‐shot’ of the ant community allowed us to determine that temperature and humidity shape their occurrence and activity. These results indicate that there is an interplay between these factors that are correlated and play an important role in structuring ant communities in Restinga foredunes.

Impact of No-Tillage on Soil Invertebrate Communities in the Southern Forest Steppe of West Siberia: Preliminary Research

The aim of our study is to assess changes in soil macroinvertebrate biodiversity when conventional tillage (CT) is replaced by no-tillage (NT) in agroecosystems of the southern part of the West Siberian forest steppe. The research was conducted in the Novosibirsk region at the end of May 2017, May 2018, and in June 2018. The agricultural plots with CT and NT were located close to each other on identical soils, at a distance of about 200 m from the nearest forest shelterbelts. NT technology has been applied on the experimental plot since 2007. Sampling of invertebrates was conducted in two ways, namely soil sampling and pitfall trapping. The majority of basic physicochemical properties of soil were the same or similar between the CT and NT plots. However, depending on the type of tillage, different soil invertebrate communities had already developed in the control (CT) and experimental (NT) plots during this time. The community of the CT plot includes a large number of flying predatory Carabidae species typical of early successional stages (such as Bembidion properans and B. quadrimaculatum, Poecilus spp.) and phytophages, i.e., larvae of Elateridae. The NT plot has significantly higher density and species richness of earthworms (Eisenia nordenskioldi and synanthropic E. fetida in the NT plot versus one individual of E. nordenskioldi in the CT plot). The NT plot has a significantly richer and more abundant assemblage of spiders (especially in spring) and a poor assemblage of insect predators (except for the superdominant ground beetle Poecilus cupreus and the subdominant P. versicolor in summer 2018). Large numbers of larvae of some carabids (e.g., Amara consularis) were found in the NT soil, suggesting that they complete a full life cycle in this habitat.