Communities of ground beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) in places with different relief

Abstract

The search of ground beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) was made in Kamša Botanical-Zoological Reserve, section no 458, plot no 5. We have chosen 5 parts of the plot for investigation: in a plane surface of the forest, on the North, the South the East and the West slopes in order to detect influence of the exposition place relief to abundance of caught ground beetles individuals and species. The aim of investigation was to determine structure of ground beetle communities, its temporal changes and dependence on the relief of exposition place. The Barberis ground traps were used in the research, 5 units in the each chosen part, 25 in total. The distances between the ground traps were 5 m. The trap is made from a 0.5 l volume and 6.5 cm diameter plastic cruet. The traps were dig in to ground to the top of the trap. 1/3 of the trap was filled with a 10% formalin soak. In that case the insects were saved from decomposing and birds. The collected beetles were dried and identified in the labs of Aleksandras Stulginskis University. The total amount of collected ground beetles in 10 records, made since May to August 2012, was 1627. A variety of 15 species in 4 families Carabidae, Silphidae, Curculionidae and Staphylinidae were identified. The most abundant species collected was Phosphuga atrata – 312 ground beetles. The maximum quantity of ground beetles were caught in the plane surface of the forest, the next optimal place for ground beetles gathering was the West slope. The minimal quantity of ground beetles corresponds with the South slope. Dynamics of caught ground beetles individuals and species abundance was registered as well. The maximum quantity for almost all species was reached in June. Some species showed the other maximum in August.