Species Composition Of Ground Beetles Research Articles

Complexes of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in agrocenoses of cultivated crops of Krasnodar Territory

The paper presents new data on the species composition of ground beetles of row crops in 10 municipalities of the Krasnodar Territory. Pursuant to the research results, 45 species of Carabidae were identified. The chorological analysis and the analysis of the ecological groups noted in the model areas were performed.

ОҢТҮСТІК–ШЫҒЫС ҚАЗАҚСТАН АГРОЛАНДШАФТАРЫНДАҒЫ БАРЫЛДАУЫҚ ҚОҢЫЗДАРДЫҢ (COLEOPTERA, CARABIDAE) ТАКСОНДЫҚ ҚҰРАМЫ

Ground beetles (Carabidae) are one of the largest families of coleopteran insects; most of their larvae inhabit the soil or soil surface; some of them live in moist forests, under tree bark, and on dry trees. Based on the need for moisture, beetles are divided into two groups: hygrophiles and mesophiles. Hygrophiles are found in water reservoirs, on river banks, or in very wet soils (Nebria, Elaphrini, Dyschirius, Bembidion, Chlaenius, some Pterostichus). Mesophiles live in mountainous areas (oftenly Carabus, Amara, Harpalus, Pterostichus, etc.). Most beetles are polytrophic predators. A large number of polytrophic predators define their practical importance. Herbivorous and omnivorous beetles are pests of economic significance. For all beetles, the most important abiotic factor is soil moisture. The overwhelming majority of species are inclined to live in relatively low-temperature biotopes. Such needs are especially typical for non-specialized polytrophic predators. The proportion of meso-xerophilic species among herbivores is much higher, since these species, like other herbivores, can compensate for the lack of moisture in the body by absorbing plant juices. The studies were aimed at researching the species composition of ground beetles in agricultural cenoses of the Almaty, Talgar, Ili, Zhambyl, Karasai, and Enbekshikazakh regions. Field studies were carried out in 2019-2020 from early May to late September. The research was conducted using methods generally accepted in entomology. The study also used an ecological type of soil trap to minimize damage to the beneficial entomological fauna of the study area – insectivores. Also, Barrier soil traps were used to capture the beetles. 10 traps were installed at a distance of 5 meters in the research area of the field: soil traps were installed from late May to mid-October. Beetles were collected from the trap every 7–10 days. Based on the results of the research, lists of pests and insectivores of agricultural landscapes of South-East Kazakhstan (soybeans, alfalfa, barley, wheat, corn, etc.) were compiled. According to the results of the study, 29 species belonging to 18 genera of ground beetles (Carabidae) in the agricultural landscapes of South-East Kazakhstan were identified. Of these, Harpalus (5 species, 17%), Poecilus(3 species, 11%) were predominant in species composition, and only 1-2 species were known to be from the remaining 16 genera. The article shows the habitats of these beetles in the agricultural cenoses of South-East Kazakhstan, their trophic relationship and impact on the agrocenosis, and their practical significance. The species discovered in the course of the study were divided into 3 groups based on their diet: herbivores (feed on plants), omnivores (feed on both vegetation and animal food) and insectivores (feed on insects). Herbivores: Acupalpus elegans Dejean, 1829, Zabrus morio Ménétriés, 1832, Zabrus tenebrioides Goeze, 1777. Omnivores: Amara aenea (DeGeer, 1774), Amara similata Gyllenhal, 1810, Calathus halensis (Schaller, 1783), Harpalus smaragdinus (Duftschmied, 1812), Harpalus affinis Schrank, 1781, Harpalus anxius Duftscmid, 1812, Harpalus distinguendus (Duftschmid, 1812), Harpalus rufipes (De Geer, 1774), Poecilus sericeus sericeus Fischer von Waldheim, 1824, Poecilus versicolor (Sturm, 1824), Poecilus cupreus (Linnaeus, 1758). Insectivores: Anchomenus dorsalis (Pontoppidan, 1763), Brachinus crepitans Linnaeus, 1758, Brachinus ejaculans Fischer-Waldheim, 1828, Carabus cicatricosus Fischer von Waldheim, 1842, Carabus nemoralis Müller, 1764, Calosoma auropunctatum (Herbst, 1784), Calosoma denticolle Gebler, 1833, Chlaenius spoliatus Rossi, 1790, Cymindis picta Pallas, 1771, Elaphrus cupreus Duftschmid, 1812, Elaphrus riparius (Linnaeus, 1758), Microlestes minutulus Goeze, 1777, Lebia cruxminor Linnaeus, 1758, Loricera pilicornis (Fabricius, 1775), Notiophilus aquaticus Linnaeus, 1758, Pterostichus niger (Schaller, 1783). Herbivores had 3 species (8%), omnivores had 11 species (48%), and insectivores – 16 species (44%).

Species composition of Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) on spring wheat in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Goal. To clarify the species composition of carabids in spring wheat agrocenosis, to determine the dominant species, to compare the number of ground beetles on application of mineral fertilizers and organic nutrients.
 Methods. Field method — accounting of insects on the sowing of spring wheat in accordance with generally accepted methods. Laboratory method — determination of the species composition of ground beetles. The study was conducted in 2017—2019 on the basis of National Research Center «Institute of Agriculture of NAAS of Ukraine», department of plant protection against pests and diseases (Chabany, Kyiv-Sviatoshynskyi district, Kyiv region).
 Results. The species composition of carabid beetles on the sowings of spring wheat under modern conditions has been specified. 41 species of ground beetles from 15 genera were found. On application of mineral fertilizers, the dominant species were Bembidion properans Stephens, 1828, Harpalus affinis Schrank, 1781, Harpalus rufipes De Geer, 1774, Poecilus cupreus Linnaeus, 1758, Harpalus distinguendus Duftschmid, 1812. H. affinis Schr., H. rufipes Deg., H. distinguendus Duft., P. cupreus L., Calathus fuscipes Goeze, 1777, Harpalus smaragdinus Duftschmid, 1812 were dominant species on application of organic nutrients. In both variants, Broscus cephalotes Linnaeus, 1758, Poecilus punctulatus Schaller, 1783, Poecilus versicolor Sturm, 1824, Microlestes minutulus Goeze, 1777 were subdominant species. The ratio of trophic groups of carabid beetles in the agrocenosis of spring wheat has been established. The seasonal dynamics of the number of ground beetles has been reflected.
 Conclusions. In the first variant (mineral fretilizers) 40 species of carabids were registered, in the second (organic nutrients) — 35. Among all identified species (according to trophic specialization) the number of phytophages and zoophages was similar — 21 and 19, but in the experimental variants their ratio differed. The average number of ground beetles during 2017—2019 was: variant 1 — 30.8 specimens per trap, variant 2 — 28.1 specimens per trap.

Effects of pitfall trap size and sampling duration on collection of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in temperate forests

AbstractPitfall trapping is a standard sampling method to compare the abundance or community structure of ground beetles. However, effects of sampling duration on biodiversity estimation of ground beetles according to different trap sizes have not been experimentally evaluated in temperate forests in Korea. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the interaction between trap sizes (SB, small‐sized bottle; MB, medium‐sized bottle; PC, plastic cup; PJ, plastic jar; PT, perforated type trap; FT, funnel‐type trap) and sampling duration (T1, 2 weeks × 2 sessions, 28 days; T2, 2 weeks × 4 sessions, 56 days; T3, 4 weeks × 2 sessions, 56 days) on estimation of ground beetle assemblages in Naejangsan National Park, a temperate forest in Korea. Funnel type and larger pitfall traps collected higher numbers of individuals and species than other trap sizes. Species composition of ground beetles was different by size of traps (SB, MB, and PC vs. PJ, PT, and FT). In particular, ground beetle composition in larger traps (PJ, PT, and FT) appeared to be influenced by environmental characteristics according to localities (e.g., soil characters and dominant tree species). These findings from our study support that pitfall trapping of ground beetles can be influenced by trap sizes per se as well as sampling durations and environmental characteristics. Thus, biodiversity monitoring in temperate forests should be conducted with long sampling duration (at least 28 days) using large‐sized traps (> 7.5 cm in diameter of trap mouthpart) considering expenses and study aims.

Species composition of Ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Saransk

В 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014–2016 гг. изучалась фауна жужелиц г. Саранск. По результатам исследований и литературным сведениям она насчитывает 154 вида из 10 подсемейств. Новыми для фауны Республики Мордовия являются 2 вида: Bembidion minimum (Fabricius, 1792) и Acupalpus elegans (Dejean, 1829). Наибольшим числом видов характеризовалась агротехногенная зона (68,8% от видового состава города), наименьшим – селитебная (39,6%). Значителен был процент общих для всех зон видов – 24,0%. Сравнение сходства видового состава выявило 2 кластера: очень высоким коффициентом Серенсена характризовались карабидофауны промышленной и селитебной, а также парково-рекреационной и агоротехногенной зон. По типу ареалов наибольшее число видов отнесено к 3 группам: европейско-сибирской (35,9%), транспалеарктической (31,4%) и европейско-средиземноморской (13,7%). По экологическому преферендуму было выделено 11 групп. Из них основу видового состава слагали следующие группы: лесная (28,8%), лугово-полевая (23,5%), лесо-болотная и луговая (по 10,5%).

Community composition and diversity of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Yaoluoping National Nature Reserve

This study used pitfall trapping to examine community composition and diversity of ground beetles in five different habitats (coniferous, deciduous, mixed coniferous, farmland, and settlements) within Anhui Yaoluoping National Nature Reserve from May to September 2014. In total, 1,352 ground beetles were collected, belonging to 16 genera and 44 species. Of these, four dominant species Dolichus halensis, Harpalus pastor, Carabus casaleianus, and Pheropsophus jessoensis were identified, respectively, comprising 370, 177, 131, and 123 individuals. The deciduous forest showed greater diversity (3.78 according to Shannon–Weiner index), equitability (0.80 according to Pielou’s index), and dominance (9.52 according to Simpson’s index) when compared with farmland, but species richness in the deciduous forest (27) was lower than that in farmland (35). One-way analysis of variance showed that ground beetle species composition and abundance among different habitats varied significantly. Cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis showed that farmland shared low community similarity with other habitat types, and coniferous and mixed coniferous forests shared similar community types. Our results indicate that species composition, abundance, and diversity of ground beetles are affected by different habitat types, with deciduous forest types being critical in maintaining the diversity of rare species. We recommend reducing cultivated farmland area and increasing the area of carefully planned deciduous forest in order to better protect ground beetle diversity in the region.

Trait-specific response of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) to forest fragmentation in the temperate region in Korea

The objective of this study was to examine the trait-specific response of ground beetles in terms of abundance, species richness, and composition for habitat fragmentation in temperate forests. In addition, we examined how different ecological groups and species of ground beetles responded to environmental variables. During middle May to early November in 2013, ground beetles were sampled using pitfall traps in 27 sites (18 patches and 9 continuous forests) in central Korea. A total of 51 species were identified from 17,845 ground beetles in the 27 study sites. Continuous forests had generally higher abundance and species richness of ground beetles than forest patches. Canonical correspondence analysis for ground beetles was significant, and the proportion of variance explained by environmental variables, such as patch size, elevation, organic matter (C), and soil moisture and pH, was 43.61%. In addition, species composition of ground beetles in continuous forests was grouped distinctively away from those in medium and small-sized patches. In conclusion, both small (1.1–9.6 ha) and medium patches (12.8–51.2 ha) were failed to preserve similar ground beetle biodiversity compared to continuous forests. However, our study revealed that medium-sized forest patches clearly had higher conservation value for forest specialist ground beetles than small-sized forest patches irrespective of forest type.

Forest–farm edge effects on communities of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) under different landscape structures

AbstractIn fragmented landscapes, ecological processes may be significantly influenced by edge effects, but few data are available for edge effects across forest–farmland edges. We investigated patterns of species richness, abundance, and species composition in ground beetles across forest–farm edges in two different agro‐forest landscapes in Korea. Nine and five sites were selected from Hwaseong, a fragmented landscape, in 2011 and 2012, respectively, while eight sites were selected from Hoengseong, a relatively well‐protected landscape, in 2012. Ground beetles were collected by pitfall trapping. Species richness was higher in the surrounding habitat than in the forest interior or edge in both Hwaseong and Hoengseong. However, in Hwaseong, species richness of the forest edge was similar to that of the forest interior, while in Hoengseong forest edge species richness was intermediate between that of the forest interior and surrounding areas. In addition, non‐metric multidimensional scaling based on the combined data of both locations showed that the species composition of ground beetles in the forest edge was more similar to that of the forest interior than the surrounding areas, although some open‐habitat species occurred at the forest edges. Three characteristic groups (forest specialists, edge‐associated species, and open‐habitat species) of ground beetle species were detected by indicator value analysis. In our study, ground beetle assemblages differed in the forest edges of two agro‐forest landscapes, suggesting that the edge effect on biota can be influenced by landscape structure.

The effect of mulching on the abundance and diversity of ground beetle assemblages in two hungarian potato fields

The benefits of mulching in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production are manifold, such as it provides shelters for natural enemies of pests. The aim of our study was to detect the effect of two organic mulch types on the abundance, diversity and species composition of carabid beetles. Our potato plots were located in two sites with similar habitats including similar soil characteristics. Each plot was treated with hay and leaf litter mulch (hay, leaf, control) with 4 replications at each site. It resulted in 24 samples in each study site annually. Carabid beetles were collected by using pitfall traps in between 2011-2013. We found that due to mulching a larger and more diverse carabid population occurred on potato plots. Both mulching types increased the total number of carabids captured having a 17% higher abundance on hay mulched plots and 14% higher abundance on leaf litter mulched plots. According to the results 28 % of the collected species was found only on mulched plots, whereas only 13 % of the captured species were found only on unmulched areas. For some of the species, especially for Brachinus crepitans (L.), the number of individuals was significantly higher on mulched plots. The two different mulching materials had very similar effects on assemblages of carabid species. The species composition of ground beetles was considerably affected by the two locations, and to a lesser extent by the different time periods. While the dominant species of Budaörs was B. crepitans, the most abbundant carabid beetle at Hidegkút belonged to genus Harpalus. Neither hay nor leaf litter were able to constantly increase the biodiversity of the carabid assemblages on potato plots, because the effect of the two years overwrote the between-treatment effects on carabid diversity. The positive effect of organic mulching on carabid diversity however, was found significant in both years of 2011 and 2012.

A comparison of diversity and species composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) between conifer plantations and regenerating forests in Korea

AbstractGround beetles were collected by pitfall trapping to compare their species richness between conifer plantations (14 sites) and regenerating forests (14 sites) and among forest ages and to examine how different functional groups responded to forest type, forest age, patch size, elevation, and geographic location in terms of abundance and richness. Ground beetles were collected from middle August to late October, 2008. A total of 34 species were identified from 3,156 collected ground beetles. Individual‐based rarefaction curves showed greater species richness in regenerating forests, especially in 40–50‐year‐old forests, than in conifer plantations. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that patch size and elevation were major predictors of species richness and/or abundance of forest specialists, brachypterous species, and large‐ and medium‐bodied species. A multivariate regression tree indicated that patch size and elevation were major predictors of assemblage structure. Although our results suggest that maintaining forest areas adjacent to agricultural landscapes may be essential to preserve ground beetle assemblages irrespective of forest types, further study is necessary to clarify the effects of habitat quality and amount on ground beetles in forests.

Diversity of ground beetles (Carabidae) in the plantations of fast growing trees

The species diversity of ground beetles (Carabidae) was monitored in the plantations of fast growing trees (poplars and willows) in the District of Žďár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic (faunistic square 6463). Relations between age and type of vegetation and biodiversity were observed. Samples were collected from pitfall traps at monthly intervals from May to October in 2008. In total, 36 species of Carabidae represented by 912 specimens were entrapped in the 4 monitored plots. Basic synecologic characteristics (dominance, species diversity, evenness and Jaccard similarity index) were evaluated. The most numerous species in the plot No. 1 was Abax parallelepipedus (99 specimens), in the plot No. 2 Limodromus assimilis (112 specimens), in the plot No. 3 Amara montivaga (32 specimens) and in the plot No. 4 Poecilus cupreus (52 specimens). The majority of adaptable species was recorded in the plot No. 1, which signifies a well-regenerated secondary biotope. Shannon’s diversity index (2.78) were the highest in the plot No. 3, and the highest evenness was also in the plot No.​ 3 (0.84). The highest similarity expressed by the Jaccard similarity index was observed between the plots No. 2 and 4, the lowest between the plots No. 1 and 3. Fast growing trees plantations host similar fauna of ground beetles as the surrounding agroecosystems with eurytopic species dominating. Specific species of cultivated trees do not probably significantly affect the species composition of ground beetles, but the density of vegetation can affect the abundance of species present. Two threatened species of (Brachinus explodens and Cicindela campestris) according to Decree No. 395/1992 Coll. were identified in the monitored plots.

The effect of pitfall trap construction and preservative on catch size, species richness and species composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Pitfall trapping is the most frequently used sampling technique for epigeal arthropods. Trap design could significantly affect the catch so the results of studies using different trap designs may be difficult to compare. Although species composition is frequently investigated in ecological studies, however when pitfall trapping is employed, the effect of trap design on the recorded species composition is rarely considered. In the present study, we investigated the effect of trap construction (funnel or cup trap) and the preservative used (formaldehyde or propylene glycol) on total catch, catch of particular species, species richness and species composition of the ground beetle assemblage sampled. We were interested in the extent to which trap design could bias these charac- teristics. Total catch was significantly affected by trap construction and preservative used, with the effect of the latter being the stronger. Species richness was only slightly affected by trap design when assemblages caught by traps of a particular type were cor- rected for unequal sample size. Moreover, we show that the traps of different designs differ in their efficiency for catching particular species of carabid and thus the composition of assemblages recorded using pitfall traps is affected by trap construction and the pre- servative used. We conclude that to assess the full significance of the effect of pitfall trap design on the results of ecological studies on epigeal arthropods it is necessary to simultaneously use traps of various designs.

Effects of forest fragmentation on species richness and composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Brachinidae) in urban landscapes

AbstractTo clarify the effects of forest fragmentation in urban landscapes on the abundance, species richness, dominance, and species composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Brachinidae), we compared the beetles collected in 12 pitfall traps from April to July and from September to November between three continuous suburban forests and eight isolated urban forests (0.06–1.02 ha), most of which were in the precincts of shrines and temples in Hanshin District, Honshu, Japan. A total of 28 species and 4178 individuals of ground beetles were collected. Segregation of urban forests from continuous suburban forests has changed the species composition and resulted in the loss of some large‐sized forest species and the addition of some non‐forest species. Simpson's index of dominance (λ) also increased in the urban forests. The richness of forest species markedly decreased with the reduction in forest area but not with the distance from continuous forests, although the species richness of non‐forest species did not change with them. Also, species composition changed only with forest area. These findings indicate that continuous forests do not necessary serve as a “mainland” for urban forest species and that every urban habitat, however small in size, acts as a temporary reservoir of species. In comparison with populations of small‐sized species, populations of large‐sized forest species appeared to decline more readily during forest fragmentation.

Species composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Brachinidae) in an agricultural landscape consisting of a mosaic of vegetations types

Species composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Brachinidae) in an agricultural landscape consisting of a mosaic of vegetations types

Fire Frequency and Mosaic Burning Effects on a Tallgrass Prairie Ground Beetle Assemblage

Fire frequency has significant effects on the biota of tallgrass prairie, including mammals, vascular plants and birds. Recent concern has been expressed that widespread annual burning, sometimes in combination with heavy livestock grazing, negatively impacts the biota of remaining prairie remnants. A common management recommendation, intended to address this problem, is to create a landscape with a mosaic of different burn regimes. Pitfall trapping was used to investigate the impacts of fire pattern on the diversity and species composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) at Konza Prairie Biological Station in eastern Kansas, USA. Trapping was conducted over three seasons in landscape units burned on average every 1, 4, or 20 years, and in a fourth season across the available range of vegetative structure to assess the variability of the community within the study system. In the fifth season communities were also followed immediately after two fire events to detect within-season effects of fire and to study short-term patterns of post-disturbance community assembly. Fire frequency had comparatively minimal effects on ground beetle diversity measures, and most numerically common species were observed widely across habitat and management types. Fire frequency effects were manifested primarily in changes in abundance of common species. Colonization of burned areas apparently did not occur from juxtaposed non-burned areas, but from underground or from long distances. While these results suggest that widespread annual burning of tallgrass prairie remnants may not have dramatic effects on prairie ground beetles, we urge caution regarding the application of these results to other taxa within tallgrass prairie.

Effects of Riparian and Grassland Habitats on Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages in Adjacent Wheat Fields

Natural habitats surrounding agricultural fields provide a source of natural enemies to assist in pest control. The boundaries among landscape elements filter some organisms attempting to cross them, resulting in differing communities within the landscape elements. Ground beetles are numerous and generally disperse by walking. These qualities make them excellent organisms for the study of boundary dynamics. Our goal was to determine if natural habitats adjacent to wheat fields affected the species composition of ground beetles within the wheat fields. We captured ground beetles from autumn through spring 1996–1997 at two sites using directional pitfall traps placed in wheat fields and adjacent grasslands and riparian zones. Ground beetle abundance reached two peaks, one in autumn and the other in spring. Species composition was most strongly related to these seasons. Axis 1 of a canonical correspondence analysis separated spring active beetles from autumn active beetles. Axis 2 separated winter active beetles. With the effects of season and sites removed, axes 1 and 2 of a partial canonical correspondence analysis separated beetles with respect to habitat. Axis 1 separated beetles into wheat and natural habitat assemblages. Axis 2 further distinguished assemblages in wheat fields as those adjacent to grasslands and those adjacent to riparian habitats. Axis 2 also separated grassland, grassland edge, and riparian edge assemblages from riparian assemblages. Net dispersal of beetles across the boundaries showed no consistent pattern during autumn, winter, or spring. However, mark–recapture studies showed that several species routinely cross boundaries, which resulted in different community structures and an increase in abundance of beetles in the wheat interiors during spring.