Population dynamics of wireworms (Coleoptera, Elateridae) in arable land after abandonment

Abstract

The community of elaterid larvae of three sites (field and two fallows), representing different stages of secondary succession, were studied using soil sampling from 1986 to 1993. All three sites were abandoned arable land: a field cultivated until 1991, a fallow I abandoned in 1986, and a fallow II abandoned about 1976. The fallow II was used as a meadow after abandonment and was regularly mown until 1985, when cultivation stopped. Six species of Elateridae larvae were found at all three study sites. In the field, Agriotes obscurus, Athous niger, Athous subsuscus, Dalopius marginatus and Athous vittatus were found, A. niger and A. obscurus being the most abundant species. During cultivation, larval densities were very low, however, larval abundance increased up to 8.8 ± 8.3 ind. m −2 when cultivation stopped. Only small A. obscurus larvae were found during cultivation, whereas larval size increased after abandonment. In fallow I A. obscurus, A. niger, A. subsuscus, D. marginatus, and Agrypnus murinus were found and the average annual abundance fluctuated between 0.8 ± 1.4 to 40.8 ± 10.9 ind. m −2 with A. obscurus being the most abundant species. Fallow II supported the highest densities of wireworms from all plots studied (71.2 ± 35.2 to 280.0 ± 24.8 ind. m −2 ). A. obscurus, A. niger, A. subsuscus and D. marginatus were found in fallow II. The abundance of all larval Elateridae as well as the dominant species A. obscurus decreased during the study period, while simultaneously the occurrence of small sized A. obscurus larvae decreased. The frequency of cultivation and time elapsed since last cultivation appeared to be the most important factors affecting elaterid occurrence in the field and fallow I. In fallow II, the decrease in abundance correlates with the accumulation of a dense litter layer, which may correspond with soil surface structure, plant community changes or predator pressure.

Biology, Ecology, and Control of Elaterid Beetles in Agricultural Land

“…Their severity as pests is exacerbated by their unique subterranean larval life histories and the difficulties in sampling for wireworms, which hamper prediction of plant damage. Pestiferous click beetles are reemerging in importance because residues of effective insecticides are leaving arable land, and no-tillage farming, as well as set-aside schemes, might lead to reestablishment of populations (69). Besides directly affecting plants, root-feeding wireworms can affect multitrophic-level interactions (87,180), including the interplay between belowground and aboveground herbivores via changing responses of plants to herbivores (4,15), with important consequences for plants and higher-trophic-level biota (72,73).…”

Effects of Alpine land‐use changes: Soil macrofauna community revisited

“…Studies that have dealt with secondary successional patterns of the soil macrofauna community after land‐use changes reported consistent trends. Intensive agriculture has negative effects on the diversity and densities of soil invertebrates, as well as on the functioning of food chains, mainly due to the simplification of landscapes, soil degradation, and deterioration of water quality (Stoate et al., ; Ponge, Salmon, Benoist, & Geoffroy, ; but see Jedlička & Frouz, ). However, biodiversity may quickly recover once the disturbance is reduced (Ponge et al., ; Seeber et al., ), and farmland species might be replaced by wildlife species.…”

Control methods and monitoring of Agriotes wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

“…Nonetheless, it will be a challenging venture, regarding the different and mostly long life cycles as well as a usually natural decline in wireworm numbers within the first years after the recultivation of grassland (e.g. Jedliþka & Frouz 2007).…”