Beetle Species Diversity Research Articles

Rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) communities of the upper forest line of the Ukrainian Carpathians: structure and biotopic distribution (on the example of the Polonynskyi ridge)

The results of studies of species diversity, community structure, and biotopic distribution of rove beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) at the upper forest line on the Yavirnyk and Stinka mountain ridges (Polonynskyi massif, Ukrainian Carpathians) are presented. As a result, 91 species of Staphylinidae belonging to 53 genera and 10 subfamilies were found. In particular, 71 species were found on Yavirnyk, and 69 species on Stinka. The largest number of species was noticed on meadows of both ridges: 48 species on Yavirnyk and 51 on Stinka. The lowest number of species was recorded in in ecotones: 39 species on Yavirnyk and 40 on Stinka. The rove beetle dominant complex of the Yavirnyk ridge includes four species, including two eudominants—Eusphalerum alpinum and Philonthus politus, and two dominants—Eusphalerum anale and Philonthus decorus. The dominant complex of the Stinka ridge includes six species: three eudominants—Eusphalerum alpinum, Ocypus macrocephalus, and Staphylinus erythroptery, and three dominants in almost equal proportions—Anotylus mutator, Dinothenarus fossor, and Philonthus decorus. All indices of species richness and diversity of the rove beetle communities have higher values on the Stinka ridge, and they are the highest in forest biotopes of both mountain ridges, which indicates their high ecological quality and stability. This is also confirmed by the highest rate of originality of the species composition of Staphylinidae in these areas. The most similar in species composition are the rove beetle communities of meadows. The original fauna of rove beetles of Yavirnyk is represented by 25 species, and of Stinka by 19 species. Among the species of Staphylinidae, 18 occurred in all biotopes of the upper forest line, which is 19.8% of the total number of species found here. In terms of trophic specialization, predators that live in the forest floor, among remains of organic origin and in fungi predominate in all biotopes of the upper forest line (UFL). In terms of biotopic distribution, eurytopic species predominate.

Carabid beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) richness, diversity, and community structure in the understory of temporarily flooded and non-flooded Amazonian forests of Ecuador.

Although tropical regions harbor the greatest arthropod diversity on Earth, the majority of species are taxonomically and scientifically unknown. Furthermore, how they are organized into functional communities and distributed among habitats is mostly unstudied. Here we examine species richness, diversity, and community composition of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and compare them between flooded (FP) and non-flooded terra firme (TF) forests in the Yasuní area of Ecuador. The forest understory was sampled using flight intercept traps (FITs) and systematic hand collections at night in June and July 2011 and 2012, and FITs in October and November 2011. A total of 1,255 Carabidae representing 20 tribes, 54 genera, and 143 morphospecies was collected. Mean number of individuals and mean species richness did not differ significantly between FP and TF; however, numbers of Cicindelini (tiger beetles) and Pentagonicini were higher in TF forest while numbers of Lachnophorini and Scaritini were higher in FP forest. Overall, FP had significantly higher rarefied richness but extrapolation of rarefaction curves using the Chao1 nonparametric diversity estimator show that this difference may decrease with additional sampling. The inverse Simpson index was significantly higher for FP than TF forest. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination and dissimilarity coefficient values show that FP and TF forests maintain unique assemblages with minimal overlap in community composition. Given ongoing anthropogenic pressures, particularly petroleum extraction, and those resulting from climate change, a greater understanding of the richness, diversity and community assemblages of Yasuní rainforest are needed to better conserve the fauna of this megadiverse area of Amazonia.

Distribution patterns and its environmental associations of beetle species diversity in Ningxia in Northwest China.

Distribution patterns and its environmental associations of beetle species diversity in Ningxia in Northwest China.

Vascular plant and ground beetle diversity on wet arable land versus conventional crop fields

While artificial farmland drainage has allowed the development of a highly productive agriculture, the availability of periodically flooded arable land as a niche habitat for a broad range of animal and vascular plant species has diminished. Accordingly, many species depending on temporary wetlands are endangered, already extinct or extirpated in Switzerland and other European countries. Some arable fields with temporary pools can still be observed in Switzerland. However, it is not known how suitable such small temporary ponds are as habitats in the modern, intensively-managed agricultural landscape, where disturbance rates are high, and connecting wetland habitats are scarce. We surveyed 120 fields across 10 hot spot regions for potential waterlogging in Switzerland, investigating the effect of temporary waterlogging on the diversity of arable plant and ground beetle species. Half of the fields were heavily influenced by waterlogging, while the other half represented conventional crop field controls. We found that wet fields exhibited a higher number of vascular plant and carabid species on average compared to control fields. This difference was explained by the presence of more hygrophilic plant and ground beetle species on wet fields. While we did find more hygrophilic species on wet fields, the threatened character species of temporary wetland habitats were mostly absent despite availability in regional species pools. These results suggest that temporary pools still provide the raw environmental characteristics that hygrophilic species require in the agricultural landscape. However, alternative management schemes are required to transform them into habitats that can effectively support high-priority, threatened species of temporary wetlands.

Fauna and Species Diversity of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Meadows

Fauna and Species Diversity of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Meadows

Effect of Urbanization on the Diversity of Beetle Families in and around Aizawl, Mizoram

An increase in urbanization and anthropogenic activities has led to a decrease in the area covered by forests which has an impact on the ecosystem and the diversity of flora and fauna. Coleopterans are a group of insects which are known to play an important role to study the impact of urbanization as they act as bioindicators. A study was conducted from September 2018 to October 2019 to determine the effect of urbanization and forest size on the beetle diversity in selected sites representing urban, semi-urban, and rural areas in and around Aizawl, Mizoram. Collection was done by setting up light traps as well as manual collection and other standard methods on a bi-monthly basis. A total of 445 beetles belonging to 15 families were collected. Identification of beetles was carried out only upto family level. Beetles community showed a significant variation in different degrees of urbanization as abundance and species diversity of beetles declined with increasing urbanization in different sites. In terms of the total number of individuals collected, the family Scarabaeidae was the most dominant (21.35%), followed by Cerambycidae (19.77%) and Lucanidae (11.91%) with the highest numbers collected from rural sites. The soil parameters were analyzed which showed a significant correlation with the forest size and this, in turn, affects the beetle diversity. Overall, the diversity of beetles (diversity index, richness, and abundance) is found to be affected in such a way that it is higher in rural sites as compared to urban sites.

Dung Beetle Diversity and Community Composition Along a Land Use Gradient in a Savannah Ecosystem of North Western Tanzania

Habitat loss and degradation are the most widely cited drivers of changes in species abundance and diversity. We explored changes in dung beetle species diversity and composition across different land uses in the north west Tanzanian savannah. We expected a negative response gradient in the diversity and composition of the dung beetle community, from land uses that preserve vegetation and hold native mammal diversity to livestock intensive and heavily grazed areas. Dung beetles were sampled in a protected area and two anthropogenically influenced land use types. Species richness and composition of each land use type, including differences in diversity and functional groups were analyzed and indicator species for each land use gradient were identified. As expected, diversity and community composition varied between areas with less environmental change compared to those impacted anthropogenically. We conclude that conservation of protected areas within African savannahs can provide a functionally rich dung beetle community and subsequently rich ecological functions. The dung beetle species identified by this study as eco-indicators can be used as a benchmark for future studies that use rapid monitoring to assess disturbance in African savannas.

The relationship between altitudinal gradients, diversity, and body size in a dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae: Onthophagus) model system

Mountainous regions represent an excellent model to test ecological hypotheses encompassing assemblage diversity and body traits of species. Among insects, there is no uniform body size pattern across temperature gradients, suggesting that processes controlling body size may differ among species. The aim of this study was to explore diversity and body size patterns of dung beetle species of the genus Onthophagus Latreille, 1802 across altitudinal gradients at two mountains in Mexico. Tropical mountain species were sampled from 2200 to 3400 m a.s.l. In both mountains, there was a decrease of richness and abundance of Onthophagus with increasing altitude. There were contrasting relationships between beetle body size and altitude, which varied depending on the data set analyzed. Furthermore, interspecific variations of body size were not related to the number of altitudinal bands recorded by each species. Species from high altitudes were also recorded at lower mountain altitudes, suggesting that diversity at the highest altitudes represents a subgroup of lowland diversity. This may indicate that the fauna inhabiting higher elevations could be the most eurytopic one. Here we present an example of an assemblage that partially contradicts Bergmann’s rule, with contrasting effects of altitude on dung beetle body size.

Communities of ground beetles (Carabidae, Coleoptera) in broad-leaved forests of protected and urban areas of the Kaluga Oblast (European Russia).

BackgroundThis sampling-event dataset provides primary data about species diversity, population and seasonal activity of ground beetles (Carabidae, Coleoptera). The study was carried out in broad-leaved forests of protected ("Kaluzhskiye Zaseki" Nature Reserve and Ugra National Park) and urban areas (the Kaluga City) of the Kaluga Oblast. Carabids were collected from April to October during 1995-1998 by pitfall traps. In total, 108,000 adult individuals of the Carabidae family were sampled; 105 species from 38 genera were counted.New informationThis dataset is the first sampling-event dataset about the Carabidae family for the European part of Russia. It provides biodiversity data for new territory (Kaluga Oblast) and contributes to filling gaps in the global biodiversity distribution of the Carabidae family. Part of the data was collected from unique old-growth broad-leaved forests.

Carabid Beetle Assemblages (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in a Seminatural Grassland and the Adjacent Old Beech Forest in Northeast Japan.

The decline and disappearance of seminatural grasslands in Japan have caused a reduction in plant and animal species inhabiting such grasslands. We aimed to understand the assemblage structure, species diversity, and distribution of carabid beetles in traditionally managed seminatural grasslands, by comparing with the adjacent old beech forest. We investigated the carabid beetle assemblages in a seminatural grassland maintained by prescribed burning and annual mowing, and the adjacent old beech forest in Yamagata Prefecture, northeast Japan. We recorded several forest species along with open habitat species and habitat generalists in the grassland, suggesting that forest species may utilize the adjacent grasslands as temporary habitats. Cluster analysis showed that the assemblage structure of carabid beetles in the grassland differed from that in the beech forest. There were no clear differences in the carabid assemblages between the burned grassland sites and the grassland sites mowed in July after burning. This suggests that the annual mowing had little influence on the response of grassland carabid species in parts of the grassland. We recorded Harpalus roninus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), a rare carabid species in Japan, indicating that this beetle can be a characteristic of the studied grassland. Redundancy analysis showed that the eight abundant grassland species were associated with canopy openness, grass height, and understory vegetation cover, whereas the five most common species recorded from the beech forest were associated with litter depth and soil moisture.

Determining species diversity and functional traits of beetles for monitoring the effects of environmental change in the New Zealand alpine zone

Alpine invertebrate populations are expected to be highly sensitive to a changing climate because temperature plays an important role in their development, reproduction, and survival. However, high levels of rarity and endemism make it particularly challenging to measure climate effects on this group because interpretation of monitoring data is undermined by high levels of spatial turnover and inter-sample variability. Functional traits may overcome this monitoring challenge by allowing generalisation across taxa based on characters that respond consistently to a changing environment.Here we evaluate whether functional traits respond more consistently and sensitively to changes in environmental conditions at different sites than species diversity metrics. Temperature and physical structure in Chionochloa grassland plots was manipulated using Open-Top-Chamber and fertility treatments, respectively. Pitfall traps were used to sample beetles from four years (2013–2016) during the austral summer at two different altitudes in Takahe Valley, Fiordland.Natural variation between years and sites had a stronger influence on the beetle community compared with temperature and nutrient treatments. The presence of complex interactive effects between treatments, different sites, and different years, indicates that the impact of changes to temperature and nutrient levels are context-specific and that landscape-level variations have a large role on structuring beetle communities.The responses of alpine beetle communities to climate change are likely to be complex, however, trait-based measures may comprise a more sensitive method for detecting generalisable change because they can be pooled over sets of species that appear rarely in the data.

Supporting Beneficial Insects for Agricultural Sustainability: The Role of Livestock-Integrated Organic and Cover Cropping to Enhance Ground Beetle (Carabidae) Communities

Ground beetles (Carabidae) are beneficial insects providing ecosystem services by regulating insect pests and weed seeds. Despite several studies conducted on ground beetles worldwide, there is a lack of knowledge on how these insects are affected by differently managed organic systems (e.g., tillage-based versus grazed-based) compared to that of chemical-based no-tillage conventional cropping systems. In a 5-year (2013–2017) study, we assessed the ground beetle communities in cover crops and winter wheat (Triticum aestivium L.) in Montana, USA, with three contrasting cropping systems: a chemically managed no-tillage, a tillage-based organic, and a livestock-integrated organic with reduced tillage. The first three years (i.e., 2013–2015) corresponded to the transition to organic period, while the last two (i.e., 2016–2017) were conducted in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic-certified tillage-based and livestock-integrated organic systems. The experiment was designed with three management systems across three blocks as the whole plot variable and 5-year rotation of crop phases as the subplot variable. Using pitfall traps, we sampled ground beetles across all cover crop and winter wheat subplots for five years (n = 450). The data were analyzed using mixed effects models and PERMANOVA and visualized with non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination. Our study indicated that organically managed farms, whether tilled or grazed, enhance activity density, species richness, diversity, and evenness of ground beetles in the dryland row crop productions. Also, irrespective of farming system, cover crops supported higher species richness, diversity, and evenness of ground beetles than winter wheat. The ground beetle communities were mostly similar during the transition to organic period. However, during the established organic phase, cropping systems acted as contrasting ecological filters and beetle communities became dissimilar. Cover cropping affected ground beetle communities positively not only in organically managed systems but also in chemical-based conventional systems. Our study provides evidence supporting the adoption of ecologically-based cropping systems such as crop-livestock integration, organic farming, and cover cropping to enhance beneficial insects and their pest-regulation services.

The Peculiarities of the Shikhan Faunas and Communities of Phytophagous Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea, Curculionoidea) near the Town of Sterlitamak, the Republic of Bashkortostan

The species composition and the general characteristics of the fauna of phytophagous beetles (superfamilies Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea) on the Sterlitamak shikhans are considered based on original material. The shikhans Tratau, Kushtau, and Yuraktau are cone-shaped relict limestone mountains that are unique natural objects located near Sterlitamak in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The shikhans reveal an extremely high total species diversity of leaf beetles and weevils, comprising 327 species from 8 families, or no less than 25% of the entire faunas of these groups in the forest-steppe belt of the Volga Region and the Cis-Urals. Of the three shikhans, the fauna of Tratau with 283 species is the richest and the most specific. Among the zonal complexes, the group of phytophagous beetles of steppe ecosystems is the most diverse on the shikhans, comprising 297 species, or 90% of the species recorded. The arealogical and ecological analyses have shown that the shikhan faunas have a fairly original structure characterized by pronounced participation of both Western and Central Palaearctic species, many of which are located there at the meridional limits or within the insular parts of their ranges. The studied faunas have a large proportion of petrophilic steppe and desert-steppe forms and include many relict faunal elements of different origins. Most of the relicts are concentrated in petrophytic steppes, screes, and rock outcrops of the shikhans, some of them being trophically associated with relict and/or endemic plant species. Stephanocleonus ignobilis, Pseudocleonus dauricus, and Ceutorhynchus subpilosus are known in Bashkortostan only from the shikhans; it is suggested that these relict species should be included in the regional Red Data Book. In addition, two apparently flightless and probably new species of flea beetles from the genera Phyllotrera Chevr. and Longitarsus Berth. were found on Tratau. The forest ecosystems contain a sufficiently rich group of nemoral species associated with the European oak; these species occur in Bashkortostan at or near their eastern range limits. The data presented clearly show that the fauna and communities of phytophagous beetles of the Sterlitamak shikhans are highly original, reflecting the uniqueness of their natural complexes as a whole and providing a very important argument against industrial development of any of the shikhans.

New records of beetle species (Coleoptera) from the Polish part of Białowieża Forest with special emphasis on the genus Episernus C.G. Thomson, 1863 (Ptinidae) in Central Europe

This paper presents data on 23 beetle species recorded for the first time from the Białowieża Forest (Polish part), and among them two species new for the fauna of Poland. All the beetles were collected using multifunnel (Lindgren) traps, placed in the the selected sites of the study area in 2018. Collected species belong to 13 families: Carabidae (1 species), Corylophidae (1), Curculionidae (1), Dermestidae (1), Elateridae (2), Eucnemidae (1), Laemophloeidae (1), Latridiidae (2), Nitidulidae (1), Ptinidae (3), Staphylinidae (7), Throscidae (1) and Trogossitidae (1). Episernus angulicollis C. G. Thomson, 1863 and E. tatarinovae Toskina et Nikitsky, 2003 (Ptinidae) are recorded for the first time from Poland, and Microrhagus pyrenaeus Bonvouloir, 1872 (Elateridae) and Leptusa norvegica Strand, 1941 (Staphylinidae), for the second time. Distribution of all the above species in Poland is briefly discussed and details on the biology of some of them are given. An identification key for the species of the genus Episernus C. G. Thomson, 1863 from Central Europe is presented. Species diversity of beetles in the Polish part of Białowieża Forest is estimated based on published data.

Forest habitat parameters influence abundance and diversity of cadaver-visiting dung beetles in Central Europe.

Dung beetles provide crucial ecosystem services and serve as model organisms for various behavioural, ecological and evolutionary studies. However, dung beetles have received little attention as consumers of large cadavers. In this study, we trapped copronecrophagous dung beetles on above-ground exposed piglet cadavers in 61 forest plots distributed over three geographically distinct regions in Germany, Central Europe. We examined the effects of land use intensity, forest stand, soil characteristics, vascular plant diversity and climatic conditions on dung beetle abundance, species richness and diversity. In all three regions, dung beetles, represented mainly by the geotrupid species Anoplotrupes stercorosus and Trypocopris vernalis, were attracted to the cadavers. High beetle abundance was associated with higher mean ambient temperature. Furthermore, A. stercorosus and T. vernalis were more abundant in areas where soil contained higher proportions of fine sand. Additionally, an increased proportion of forest understorey vegetation and vascular plant diversity positively affected the species richness and diversity of dung beetles. Thus, even in warm dry monocultured forest stands exploited for timber, we found thriving dung beetle populations when a diverse understorey was present. Therefore, forestry practices that preserve the understorey can sustain stable dung beetle populations and ensure their important contribution to nutrient cycles.

Habitat continuity matters: Ancient woodlands tend to have higher biomass and catching rate of dung beetles, mainly driven by one large species

Ancient woodlands differ from recent woodlands by numerous abiotic and biotic factors, including soil properties. Several animal species are more abundant in ancient than in recent woodlands, but this has been only rarely tested for saprophagous taxa and not at all for dung beetles, which are common in temperate woodlands. Beside habitat continuity, tree age can have also an effect on woodland inhabiting animals, especially on saprophagous taxa. To analyze the effects of both habitat continuity and tree age we studied dung beetles in a continuous north-west German woodland with baited pitfall traps on basis of a factorial design. We compared species diversity (Shannon-Wiener-Index and Pielou's Evenness), catching rates, biomass and community composition of dung beetles. With only 18 recorded species from 20 study plots, dung beetle communities were species-poor and dominated by one large tunnelling species. The main result is that catching rate and biomass of dung beetles were higher in ancient woodlands, which was due to the particularly high catching rate of the most dominant tunnelling species and one dweller species. Tree age alone had a minor impact, but affects significantly one rare species. Diverging habitat quality of ancient and recent woodlands likely explains differences in the communities of dung beetles in woodlands of different habitat continuity. Old trees in recent woodlands could not compensate for habitat continuity of ancient woodlands.

Effects of industrial disturbances on biodiversity of carrion-associated beetles

Energy production systems such as nuclear reactors and coal-burning power plants produce a multitude of waste contaminants including radionuclides, trace elements, and heavy metals. Among invertebrates, much of the effort to understand the impact of these contaminants has focused in aquatic environments, while relatively less attention has been on terrestrial communities. We investigated the effects of trace element and radionuclide contamination on assemblages of beetles that are drawn to vertebrate carrion. Samples were collected from riparian sites at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina to compare trap catches (i.e., measure of relative abundance) of beetles and species diversity along a habitat gradient (0–300 m) away from an aquatic habitat and between uncontaminated and contaminated sites. We collected 17,800 carrion-associated beetles representing 112 species in nine families, which were classified as either scavenger or predatory beetles. Beetle catches and species diversity were generally higher at contaminated than uncontaminated sites. These trends were likely driven by scavenger species, which showed similar patterns between sites, whereas patterns of catches and species diversity were variable between sites for predatory beetles. Species compositions of contaminated and uncontaminated sites were generally distinct, however habitat edges appeared to substantially affect beetle assemblages. Overall, our study suggests carrion beetle assemblages are sensitive to edge effects and may exhibit variable responses to the presence of anthropogenic contaminants or disturbances associated with energy production systems. Such results reflect the inherent variability among individual beetle species, populations, and communities to local environmental conditions, and underscores the need for multi-taxa approach in environmental impact assessments.

Local management actions override farming systems in determining dung beetle species richness, abundance and biomass and associated ecosystem services

Organic farming systems have been proposed to support higher biodiversity than conventional ones, and higher diversity might make ecosystems more resilient against environmental change. We investigated how dung beetle communities and associated ecological functions (dung removal) vary at two hierarchical levels among Swedish dairy farms: between farming systems (organic vs. conventional) and among farms within farming systems. At the level of farming systems, we detected no differences in dung beetle species richness, abundance or diversity. The total biomass of beetles was slightly higher on conventional farms than on organic ones, but this difference did not correspond to a difference in dung-system functioning. However, at the farm level, we found significant differences in species richness, abundance and total biomass, reflected in significantly different provisioning of ecological functions among farms. Our results identify the importance of farm-specific variation in dung beetle assemblages for ecosystem functioning. Local decisions made by farmers may thereby override general differences among farming systems. Thus, policies aimed at promoting fine-scale management actions are an important supplement to general rules for certification under different farming systems. The current results are likely context-dependent, as based on efficient uptake and substantial environmental awareness among Swedish dairy farmers.

Taxonomic notes on Eustrophinae from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, with description of a new species (Coleoptera, Tetratomidae)

A new polypore fungus beetle species Allostrophus Hsiao, Ślipinski, Yu, Deng and Pang embedded in Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber (Cenomanian, ca. 99 Ma) is described: A. yangi sp. nov.; this new species can be differentiated from its only congener based on its antennomere 11 and fusiform, elongate body. Morphological characters preserved in the inclusion compared to A. cretaceus Hsiao, Ślipinski, Yu, Deng and Pang provide further data for completing the definition of Allostrophus. This new discovery highlights the species diversity of fungivorous beetles during the Cretaceous period, adding evidence that the formerly hypothesized co-diversification between fungus-feeding coleopterans and their food resources originated in the late Mesozoic Era.

Macrophytes promote aquatic insect conservation in artificial ponds

Abstract Farmland ponds promote regional aquatic biodiversity; however, optimally managing these ponds requires knowledge on how the biodiversity differs between ponds across catchments with different land uses. This study investigated the response of macrophytes, both those in the pond and on the bank, as well as dragonfly and water beetle species richness, diversity and composition in artificial ponds, to numerous environmental variables in catchments dominated by three land uses: protected areas (as reference sites), sugarcane‐dominated and forestry‐dominated landscapes, across two seasons. There was a strong association between insect species richness and vegetation cover, particularly sedges (Cyperus spp.) in spring and bulrushes (Typha capensis) in summer. There was also a positive response between insect species richness and sedges up to 70% cover, and bulrushes up to 40% cover, after which there was a decrease. Furthermore, the protected area ponds contained more rare and specialist insect species. Pond size was not a major variable for biodiversity overall. Although there was generally little congruence in composition among the three taxa, dragonflies were a good surrogate for water beetles and floating macrophytes. Well‐vegetated ponds, both in the water and along the margin, are the most suited to promoting biodiversity, as long as the vegetation is not too dense, and not dominated by one plant species. Artificial ponds in production landscapes have great potential for conserving aquatic species, irrespective of land use, as long as there is management for macrophyte density and heterogeneity.