Natural Environment Monitoring 2007, No 8, 99-104
ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE OF A GROUND BEETLE (COL., CARABIDAE) ASSEMBLAGE IN AN UPLAND FOREST IN SZYMBARK MONITORING STATION AREA
Stanisław Huruk, Alicja Huruk, Witold Bochenek
Summary
The study was carried out in the years 2004-2006. In each year of the study, ground beetles were collected into glycol-filled Barber’s traps in an upland forest from May to September. The collection period was divided into five monthly cycles. A total of 2625 individuals representing 19 species were collected. The numbers of species and individuals did not vary between the years of the study, exceptions including 20% more species caught in 2005 than in the remaining years and 20% more individuals caught in 2006 than in the remaining years of the study. The same ecological elements predominated in successive years in the designated ecological categories, with forestassociated species predominating with respect to habitat; mesohygrophilous elements with respect to humidity requirements; large zoophages with respect to feeding habits; and autumn breeders with respect to developmental type. Zoogeographic analysis showed a predominance of elements with narrower ranges: Euro-Siberian, montane species associated with the European Forest Province and those associated with the European Forest Province. These indices can be applied to bioindication-based evaluation of environmental conditions. Their values in this study may suggest that the study habitat was in good condition during the timeframe of the study.
