Succession of ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities after windthrow disturbance in a montane Norway spruce forest in the Hrubý Jeseník Mts. (Czech Republic)

Abstract

Wind disturbances are a key factor that is significantly involved in the life cycle of natural boreomontane coniferous forests. As most of these forests are currently intensively managed, we have limited knowledge on succession following natural disturbance. Succession in a Norway spruce stand after a windthrow event was studied using ground beetles as model bioindication taxa in the Hrubý Jeseník Mts. (Czech Republic). The study documented that the composition of ground beetle communities was significantly associated with stand age and its microclimatic parameters (particularly the minimal temperature and average and minimal humidity). Forest species including prey specialists, hygrophilous species, as well as habitat generalists were the most abundant in the mature stand, where the forest had the highest humidity and the least profound minimal temperatures. In contrast, open-habitat species, including euryoecious species and relict species of higher elevations, reached their highest abundances in clearing shortly after the windthrow. In clearing the humidity was lower and the temperature fluctuated significantly (the lowest minimal temperatures). Ground beetles, including forest species, were the least abundant in young stands (10 and 20 years after windthrow). We conclude that old stands are of particular importance because they harbour the highest abundance and diversity of ground beetles with various ecological requirements. Natural wind disturbances are important as well since they increase diversity by enabling the occurrence of many non-forest species. Hence, a mosaic of stands of different ages with a sufficient proportion of old stands should be maintained when managing montane coniferous forests.

How informative is the response of Ground Beetles' (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages to anthropogenic land use changes? Insights for ecological status assessments from a case study in the Neotropics

“…The GB richness observed in forest areas and/or mature succession (NV/MS) could also be associated with the availability of niches and food resources. On the other hand, disturbed areas support mostly generalist and tolerant RTU (Kašák et al, 2017). In fact the distribution of GB along different environmental characteristics seems to demonstrate discrete associations with particular biotypes within the landscape (Silva and Hernández, 2016;Cajaiba et al, 2017a).…”

Evaluation of trap type and attractant composition for potential mass trapping of Hylobius abietis

“…With C. arvensis , only one species is listed as near‐threatened, while the others are considered to be non‐threatened (Schmidt et al, 2016). A total of 18 of the 24 carabid species caught are typical for open areas, hence reflecting the character of the chosen study sites (Epperlein et al, 1997; Eversham et al, 1996; Filippov, 2006; Giglio et al, 2017; Güth et al, 2006; Ings & Hartley, 1999; Kašák et al, 2017; Koivula & Vermeulen, 2005; Lompe, 2009, 2010; Magura, 2002; Wallin, 1989). C. arvensis , Carabus nemoralis , Notiophilus germinyi and Pterostichus niger inhabit both forest and open land (Delkeskamp, 1930; Koivula et al, 2003; Lompe, 2021; Tyler, 2010), while typical forest species like Carabus problematicus and Cychrus caraboides (Magura et al, 2004; Rijnsdorp, 1980) presumably migrated from the surrounding forest stands.…”

Artificial habitat – a chance for survival of a rare montane dragonfly (Odonata): case study on an alpine emerald (Somatochlora alpestris)

“…Mostly these were old, abandoned for more than 10 years, or rarely used (estimated once every few years) forest roads. The aquatic habitats were created usually during timber export after wind disturbance and following bark beetle outbreak (recorded on the basis of aerial photographs), which gave rise to semi-to fully open habitats surrounded by loose young spruce stands up to 30 years old (Kašák et al 2017).…”