Small-scale habitat use and assemblage structure of ground-dwelling beetles in a Patagonian shrub steppe

Mazía, C. Noemí; Chaneton, Enrique J.; Kitzberger, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.02.006

Cited by 81 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 49 publications

(103 reference statements)

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“…In contrast to abundance, overall arthropod diversity exhibited a bell-shaped response to shrub cover, which might be explained by the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis (MacArthur and Wilson 1967) which predicts that structurally complex habitats provide more niches and environmental resources and thus increase species diversity. In southern Kalahari rangelands, the relationship between shrub cover and horizontal and vertical diversity of shrubby vegetation is bell-shaped with a maximum at 10-15% shrub cover (Blaum et al 2007d).…”

Section: Rtu Richness Of Arthropodsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…At low shrub cover, savannas are characterised by a structurally poor grassy matrix with few trees or shrubs scattered in the landscape (Scholes and Walker 1993;Jeltsch et al 1997). The increase of shrubs therefore Wrst enriches the structural diversity of savanna habitats (Blaum et al 2007d), as occasional, leguminous shrubs (e.g., Acacia mellifera) produce patches of shade, with concomitant patchiness in soil, soil temperatures, soil moisture and nutrient levels because of nitrogen Wxing by leguminous shrubs (Mazía et al 2006). In highly overgrazed areas, however, shrubs become the dominant vegetation form, generating homogeneous patches (Skarpe 1990) with low habitat heterogeneity, and relatively speaking, nutrient levels become uniformly high owing to nitrogen Wxing by trees and greater amounts of dung associated with higher livestock numbers.…”

Section: Rtu Richness Of Arthropodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Changes in arthropod diversity along a land use driven gradient of shrub cover in savanna rangelands: identification of suitable indicators

et al. 2008

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Shrub encroachment linked to heavy grazing has dramatically changed savanna landscapes, and is a major form of rangeland degradation. Our understanding of how shrub encroachment aVects arthropod communities is poor, however. Here, we investigate the eVects of shrub encroachment on abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling (wingless) arthropods at varying levels of shrub cover in the southern Kalahari. We also ascertain if invertebrate assemblage composition changes with habitat structure and identify which aspects of habitat structure (e.g., grass cover, herbaceous plant cover, shrub density) correlate most strongly with these changes. Ant, scorpion and dung beetle abundance increased with shrub cover, whereas grasshoppers and solifuges declined. Spider and beetle abundance exhibited hump-shaped relationships with shrub cover. RTU richness within orders either mirrored abundances, or exhibited no trend. Shrub density was the habitat component most correlated with similarities between invertebrate assemblages. Ground-dwelling arthropods showed clear shifts in species assemblage composition at a similarity level of 65% according to shrub density. Changes in indicator species showed that within the Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles), certain species respond positively to shrub thickening, replacing other species within the Family. Small-bodied, wingless Scarabaeidae (dung beetles) tended to increase with increased shrub density and three species emerged as signiWcant indicators of more thickened habitats, although this might be a response to greater dung availability, rather than habitat structure itself. We conclude that because ground-dwelling

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Section: Rtu Richness Of Arthropodsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Rtu Richness Of Arthropodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in arthropod diversity along a land use driven gradient of shrub cover in savanna rangelands: identification of suitable indicators

et al. 2008

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“…Moreover, especially dry and open habitats as the studied acidic coastal dunes, harbor several specialized xerothermic carabid (Desender 1996;Müller-Motzfeld 2004;Trost 2004) and spider species (Almquist 1973;Bonte et al 2000Bonte et al , 2003Buchholz and Kreuels 2009;Buchholz 2010). Furthermore, many carabid and spider species have low space requirements resulting in small-scale habitat use (Almquist 1973;Juen and Traugott 2004;Mazia et al 2006;Bates et al 2007;Ziesche and Roth 2008;Muff et al 2009). Hence, both taxa are useful indicators for small-scale shifts in habitats such as the shifts caused by moss encroachment in acidic coastal dunes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the invasive moss Campylopus introflexus on carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and spiders (Araneae) in acidic coastal dunes at the southern Baltic Sea

2010

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Campylopus introflexus is an invasive moss in Europe and North America that is adapted to acidic and nutrient-poor sandy soils with sparse vegetation. In habitats like acidic coastal dunes (grey dunes) it can reach high densities, build dense carpets and modify habitat conditions. While the impact of the moss invasion on the vegetation is well analyzed, there is a lack of knowledge regarding possible effects on arthropods. In the present study we analyzed the impact of Campylopus introflexus on the grounddwelling arthropods carabid beetles and spiders, as both taxa are known to be useful indicator taxa even on a small-scale level. In 2009 we compared species composition in a) invaded, moss-rich (C. introflexus) and b) native, lichen-rich (Cladonia spp.) acidic coastal dunes by using pitfall traps. A total of 1,846 carabid beetles (39 species) and 2,682 spiders (66 species) were caught. Species richness of both taxa and activity densities of spiders were lower in invaded sites. Species assemblages of carabids and spiders differed clearly between the two habitat types and single species were displaced by the moss encroachment. Phytophagous carabid beetles, web-building spiders and wolf spiders were more abundant in native, lichen-rich sites. Shifts in species composition can be explained by differences in the vegetation structure, microclimate conditions and most likely a reduced food supply in invaded sites. By forming dense carpets and covering large areas, the moss invasion strongly alters typical arthropod assemblages of endangered and protected (EU-directive) acidic coastal dunes.

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“…Throughout the present study, vegetation played a significant ecological role in shaping the composition of beetle assemblages, possibly due to different mechanisms. It exerts a strong bottom-up influence on the small-scale distribution of ground-dwelling beetles, creating local differences in temperature, moisture, food and shelter availability for beetles (Mazía et al, 2006;Parmenter et al, 1989).…”

Section: Local Environmental Gradients Sustain Beetle Composition Var...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological responses of epigaeic beetle composition to a volcanic eruption across temperate mountains featuring a forest‐steppe transition

Baudino,

Werenkraut,

Elgueta

et al. 2023

Ecological Entomology

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Monitoring changes in species composition near active volcanoes is important to identify environmental factors that maintain biological diversity after major disturbances. We investigated the taxonomic composition of epigaeic beetles' assemblages in five mountains in north‐western Patagonia (Argentina) in the aftermath of the 2011 Puyehue Cordón‐Caulle Volcanic Complex eruption.The associations of beetle composition with the thermal environment, vegetation structure and soil characteristics were analysed using 10 m × 10 m plots with nine pitfall traps each, established 100 m apart in altitude on each mountain in 2005, 2006 (pre‐eruption) and 2012, 2015 and 2016 (post‐eruption).We found significant differences in beetle composition between forests and high‐Andean steppes before and after the eruption. The beetle composition of forests and high‐Andean steppes differed due to higher plant cover and lower pH and herb richness in forests. Six months after the eruption, the herbs almost disappeared and forests showed high ash accumulation and lower temperature than the high‐Andean steppes. In the medium term, plant cover, temperature and soil conditions—but not ash accumulation—remained as important correlates of beetle composition. Before the eruption, forest assemblages showed higher beetle diversity and Leiodidae indicator species, but Curculionidae predominated post‐eruption. Tenebrionidae and Carabidae were high Andean steppes indicators. Post‐eruption, the beetle composition in high‐Andean steppes did not change significantly except for an increase in Tenebrionidae indicator species.We concluded that the conservation of landscape diversity and environmental gradients maintaining the differentiation between ecoregions is essential to protect epigaeic beetle composition and for species survival after volcanic disturbances.

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Small-scale habitat use and assemblage structure of ground-dwelling beetles in a Patagonian shrub steppe

Cited by 81 publications

References 49 publications

Changes in arthropod diversity along a land use driven gradient of shrub cover in savanna rangelands: identification of suitable indicators

Changes in arthropod diversity along a land use driven gradient of shrub cover in savanna rangelands: identification of suitable indicators

Impact of the invasive moss Campylopus introflexus on carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and spiders (Araneae) in acidic coastal dunes at the southern Baltic Sea

Ecological responses of epigaeic beetle composition to a volcanic eruption across temperate mountains featuring a forest‐steppe transition

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