The Role of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Weed Seed Consumption: A Review

Abstract

Weed management is a challenge in all agroecosystems. Given the negative consequences associated with herbicide-based weed management, it is important to consider integrated weed management options with emphasis on strategies such as biological control. Postdispersal weed seed predation by granivorous and omnivorous carabid beetles results in substantial natural suppression of weed populations. Although the role of ground beetles as “generalist predators” in various agroecosystems is known, their contribution to weed management is not well recognized. In this context, this review presents an account of carabids and their granivorous nature, the importance of a seed diet in the life histories of different carabid groups, factors affecting granivory, and their potential role in weed seed management. Below, we discuss the interrelationships among various factors influencing weed seed consumption by carabids, its consequences for weed management, and the need for future research.

Impacts of Dryland Farm Management Systems on Weeds and Ground Beetles (Carabidae) in the Northern Great Plains

“…In contradiction to previous studies [45][46][47], we found a greater activity density and diversity of ground beetles in tilled organic fields than in no-till conventional fields. The greater activity density and diversity of ground beetles in organic fields possibly enhances the biological control of weed seeds [48,49] and insect pests [50,51]. Compared to no-till conventional fields where crop residues may impede carabid movement; tillage in organic fields may affect the carabid activity positively by reducing crop residues and hence their capture rates could be higher [52].…”

The use of insects in integrated weed management

“…Managements that have been shown to substantially affect carabid richness, abundance or activity include in-fi eld options and the compositional and structural aspects of the landscape surrounding fi elds, given that carabids are mobile organisms that respond at spatial scales much larger than the fi eld ( Kromp, 1999 ;Kulkarni et al, 2015 ). Field management options can markedly affect weed seed fate.…”

“…A great introduction to weed seed predation by carabids is given in the review by Kulkarni et al (2015) , which covers many of the critical issues. Readers will fi nd the paper an easyto-read introduction to the subject and a great source of further reading.…”

A synthesis of feeding habits and reproduction rhythm in Italian seed-feeding ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

“…The species in this feeding group are in the laboratory either predatory or zoophagous and eat a large spectrum of different kinds of seeds. A number of at least partly granivorous species of carabid specialize on weeds and are common in intensively managed agricultural landscapes (Saska et al, 2014;Kulkarni et al, 2015).…”

“…In the temperate zone, these are the most important seed predators (Honek et al, , 2005 in intensively managed agricultural landscapes (Saska et al, 2014). Granivorous carabids are important pre-and postdispersal weed seed predators, and in terms of agricultural ecosystem services are biological control agents of weeds (Mauchline et al, 2005;Jacob et al, 2006;Gaines & Gratton, 2010;Kulkarni et al, 2015).…”