Biodiversity of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in different habitats of the Italian Po lowland

Gobbi, Mauro; Fontaneto, Diego

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2008.04.011

Cited by 66 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Hatten et al (2007), for instance, concluded that species richness and biological diversity of Carabids were generally greater under no-tillage than under CoT. However, there are also many studies suggesting that diversity and species richness of Carabids are not affected by tillage system, emphasizing the need to focus the attention on ecological features and functional groups inside the Carabids (Belaoussoff et al 2003;Clough et al 2007;Gobbi and Fontaneto 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Several studies emphasize the crucial roles of (i) the species composition of the plant and animal communities and (ii) the functional traits of the species present to correctly asses the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems (House and Stinner 1983;Hald 1999;Albrecht 2003;Waldhardt et al 2003;Dorado and López-Fando 2006;Gobbi and Fontaneto 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conservation Tillage Affects Species Composition But Not Species Diversity: A Comparative Study in Northern Italy

Boscutti

Sigura

Gambon

et al. 2014

Environmental Management

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Conservation tillage (CT) is widely considered to be a practice aimed at preserving several ecosystem functions. In the literature, however, there seems to be no clear pattern with regard to its benefits on species diversity and species composition. In Northern Italy, we compared species composition and diversity of both vascular plants and Carabids under two contrasting tillage systems, i.e., CT and conventional tillage, respectively. We hypothesized a significant positive impact of CT on both species diversity and composition. We also considered the potential influence of crop type. The tillage systems were studied under open field conditions with three types of annual crops (i.e., maize, soybean, and winter cereals), using a split-plot design on pairs of adjacent fields. Linear mixed models were applied to test tillage system, crop, and interaction effects on diversity indices. Plant and Carabids communities were analyzed by multivariate methods (CCA). On the whole, 136 plant and 51 carabid taxa were recorded. The two tillage systems studied did not differ in floristic or carabid diversity. Species composition, by contrast, proved to be characteristic for each combination of tillage system and crop type. In particular, CT fields were characterized by nutrient demanding weeds and the associated Carabids. The differences were especially pronounced in fields with winter cereals. The same was true for the flora and Carabids along the field boundaries. For studying the effects of CT practices on the sustainability of agro-ecosystems, therefore, the focus should be on species composition rather than on diversity measures.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation Tillage Affects Species Composition But Not Species Diversity: A Comparative Study in Northern Italy

Boscutti

Sigura

Gambon

et al. 2014

Environmental Management

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“…Although a direct relationship is hardly explicable, the stability of the reference stand (with lower wood debris ground cover), is probably the most important factor in sustaining populations with long larval development, which are generally large-sized species (Blake et al 1994;Gobbi et al 2007). In addition, according to Gobbi and Fontaneto (2008), assemblages with large individuals and low dispersal ability power are generally most abundant in old and stable forests. Accordingly, CCA associates P. bicolor (an endemic medium-sized species according to Cole et al 2002) with microsites with low wood debris which also characterize the reference stand.…”

Section: Ground Beetlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stand maturity affects positively ground-dwelling arthropods in a protected beech forest

Isaia

Paschetta

Gobbi

et al. 2014

Annals of Forest Science

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& Key message Forest maturity benefits biodiversity by providing positive effects on key arthropod assemblages such as spider and ground beetles, which play a fundamental role in the ecosystem. & Context Sustainable forest management is a widely held international goal, and more knowledge is needed on invertebrate assemblages, essential to the ecological functioning of forest ecosystems. & Aims We aim at evaluating the effects of microsite conditions on spider, centipede, and ground beetle assemblages living in an unmanaged protected beech forest within the Natural Park of Alpi Marittime (SW Alps, Italy). In view of our results, we provide insights on the successional pathways of the focal assemblages in relation to future management of the forest, recommended by the local authorities for conservation purposes. & Methods We placed 50 pitfall traps along four transects crossing the forest and emptied them monthly, from July to October 2011. We characterized the four arthropod assemblages in terms of abundance, species richness, diversity, and biomass and related them to leaf cover, rock cover, wood debris cover, litter depth, number of trees, mean tree size, and light conditions at ground level using generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). & Results Thirty-one species of spiders (1,212 individuals), 12 of centipedes (262 individuals), and 11 of ground beetles (2,177 individuals) were collected. In all groups, matureforest species highly dominated the samples. Tree size proved to be one of the most important parameters conditioning the assemblages, in particular spiders and ground beetles. A minor effect of light conditions and ground cover (presence of wood debris) was also detected. & Conclusions In view of our results, the recent guidelines for the management of the forest seem in accordance with an effective conservation of the forest arthropod assemblages. Interventions aimed at stabilizing and renovating critical areas within the forest go along with a progressive amelioration of the forest arthropod community. With respect to the maintenance of a large degree of arthropod diversity, stand thinning may not be the most effective management, and reaching a more mature stage might be of interest.

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“…Carabid beetles are widely used as biological indicators in studies on biodiversity or on environmental quality (Rainio & Niemelä 2003;Kotze et al 2011). They seem well suited as ecological indicators on a small, local scale (single habitat type or biotope), and are frequently used to detect the changes induced by anthropogenic impacts or biota management on the ecosystem and its animal community (Brandmayr et al 2005, Gobbi & Fontaneto 2008.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional species traits of carabid beetles living in two riparian alder forests of the Sila plateau subject to different disturbance factors (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Mazzei¹,

Bonacci²,

Gangale³

et al. 2015

Fragm Entomol

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We studied carabid beetle assemblages found in riparian black alder forests in the Sila plateau (Southern Apennines). These carabid assemblages are characterized by a high incidence of endemic small-sized, low dispersal, highly stenotopic (hygrophilic), and trophycally specialized species. To evaluate the influence of anthropogenic disturbance on these insects, we compared carabid assemblage of an old undisturbed forest (65-170y, wilderness landscape) with that of a younger, partly grazed stand (40-60y, cropland landscape). The carabid assemblage of the disturbed stand was characterized by a higher number of species, but showed a lower incidence of zoophagous specialists and brachypterous beetles, with many species probably coming from an adjacent cropland. However, the disturbed stand maintains almost 80% of the core species found in the older forest, which suggests that these insects are not particularly sensitive to disturbance factors represented by periodic wood harvesting and extensive cattle grazing.

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Biodiversity of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in different habitats of the Italian Po lowland

Cited by 66 publications

References 15 publications

Conservation Tillage Affects Species Composition But Not Species Diversity: A Comparative Study in Northern Italy

Conservation Tillage Affects Species Composition But Not Species Diversity: A Comparative Study in Northern Italy

Stand maturity affects positively ground-dwelling arthropods in a protected beech forest

Functional species traits of carabid beetles living in two riparian alder forests of the Sila plateau subject to different disturbance factors (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

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