The interference of man in the primeval forest of Bialowieza (e. g. clear-cutting and reforesting fertile habitats with pine or spruce) brings about changes in carabid assemblages, including a reduction in the proportion of individuals of relict species, reduction in the mean individual biomass (MIB) and in the sum of positive characteristics (SPC; a summary indicator). Human impact in forest ecosystems causes losses of some relict species and a gain of ubiquitous species. I com— pared the carabid faunas of pristine forests to those of various stages of clear-cut originated succession. Clear-cutting caused a drastic decrease in MIB, a reduction in the proportion of brachypterous species, and an increase in both the number of hygrophilous species and their proportion in the assemblage.

A comparison was made of the number of species, species diversity and ecological traits of carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages inhabiting Białowieża Primeval Forest (National Park) and adjacent managed Białowieża forest planted following clear-cutting of the primeval forest 80 years ago. Five pitfall traps were set in each plot in the primeval and managed forests in areas that differed in terms of humidity and soil fertility. The first hypothesis tested was that the type of stand (primeval vs. managed) has a greater effect on species diversity and life history traits of carabid assemblages than soil fertility or humidity. The second hypothesis tested was that a similar hierarchy of these factors affects the occurrence of particular species. It was demonstrated that the number of species in the primeval and managed forest sites did not differ significantly, but that mesic stands within these forests were more species-rich than boggy stands. However, the Shannon index for carabids was higher for the primeval stands. More species of carabids were recorded in the boggy primeval forest than boggy managed forest. The number of species was also higher in highly fertile than less fertile stands. These results indicate that the significant differences in the patterns of ecological traits among the assemblages studied depended mainly on humidity. This indicates the managed forest that was planted where a primeval stand was clear felled 80 years ago is a good quality habitat, which is a strong argument for protecting these stands.

A windthrow disturbance alters the functioning and structure of a forest ecosystem and causes substantial economic losses. A 10‐year pitfall study of carabid assemblages (Coleoptera, Carabidae) was carried out in pine stands disturbed by windthrow (Pisz Forest, North Poland) in the first year after the disturbance, with different classes of severity: severely disturbed stands (canopy cover up to 30%), moderately disturbed stands (canopy cover of 40–60%) and least disturbed stands (canopy cover of 70–90%). Based on the number of carabid species and their ecological traits, I confirmed the hypothesis that the amplitude of changes in carabid assemblages inhabiting severely and moderately disturbed stands would be greater than in the least disturbed stands. Variation in carabid assemblages was also linked to soil pH and to carbon and nitrogen content in the soil. The study confirmed my hypothesis regarding the delayed replacement of late successional carabid fauna by early successional fauna, which was linked to the broken pines lying on the soil, allowing late successional fauna to survive in the first few years after the windthrow. The principal response curve analysis identified three phases of post‐disturbance succession in carabid assemblages: (i) slight changes in the number of species and their ecological traits, lasting for 4 years; (ii) ‘rapid’ changes, lasting for 3 years, involving an increase in the number of species and rapid replacement of late successional carabid fauna by early successional fauna; and (iii) the slow recovery of late carabid successional fauna.

The released excess anthropogenic nitrogen and carbon produces habitat enrichment, as exemplified by the modification of one-storied pine stands by introducing deciduous species into the understory or second story. In this study, we discuss the validity of pine stand modification by pitfall-trapping epigeic carabid beetles. Two hypotheses were formulated: (1) proportion of late-successional species is higher in assemblages inhabiting pine stands with understory or a second story than in one-storied pine stands; (2) plant litter composition affects carabid beetle assemblages more than other environmental variables. Additionally, characteristic carabid species of the respective pine stand types were identified. GLMM analysis revealed a higher proportion of late-successional species in pine stands with understory or a second story than in one-storied ones. NMDS separated those pine stand types. RDA analysis indicated that pine litter and humus had the strongest effect on carabid beetle assemblage structure in one-storied stands, being drier and thicker in this stand type than in the others. Indicator value analysis identified two characteristic non-forest species in one-storied stands The study revealed that the introduction of understory and particularly a second story into pine stands increased carabid beetle diversity and the proportion of latesuccessional species, confirming the validity of pine stand modification.

Ground beetle assemblages were studied during 2003-08 in the Pisz Forest by comparing stands disturbed by a tornado to undisturbed control stands. The following exploratory questions were put forward. (1) How do the carabid assemblages change during six years following the tornado impact? (2) Does the carabid assemblage recovery begin during the six first post-tornado years? To assess the state of carabid assemblages we used two indices: the MIB (Mean Individual Biomass) and the SPC (Sum of Progressive Characteristics). Carabid assemblages in the disturbed and in the control stands, as expressed by these two indices, were compared using the length of a regression distance (sample distance in a MIB:SPC coordinate system). A cluster analysis revealed that the assemblages of the disturbed and the control stands were different. The tornado-impacted stands produced lower carabid catch rates, but species richness was significantly higher there than in the control stands. They hosted lower proportions of individuals of European species, of large zoophages, and of forest and brachypterous species, than the control stands. The observed reduction in SPC and MIB, and an increase in the regression distances may indicate that the carabid assemblages had not started to recover from the tornado-caused disturbance. Carabid assemblages apparently responded to the tornado in two steps. Firstly, the first three years were characterized by moderate decreases of index values. Secondly, from the fourth to the sixth year after the tornado, many observed changes became magnified. We did not observe clear signals of the recovery of forest carabid assemblages during the six follow-up years.