Diversity of phytophagous beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea,Curculionoidea) in steppe communities in the forest-steppe of the High Trans-Volga region

A total of 551 species from 10 families of phytophagous beetles (superfamilies Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea) have been recorded in the steppe communities of the High Trans-Volga forest-steppe zone, 62% of which belong to the steppe landscape-geographic complex. The vast majority of the species belong to three families: Curculionidae (254 species; 46%), Chrysomelidae (186 species; 34%), and Apionidae (51 species; 9%). The regional steppe fauna has a complex arealogical structure combining the Western Scythian and Sarmatian elements, as well as relict species of the Angarian origin and some Eastern European ones. The highest diversity of phytophagous beetles is observed in the zonal meadow steppe communities (299 species; 54%). The most specific are the petrophilous steppe complexes which also include the greatest number of relict forms. Xerophilous Kazakhstan- Turanian species are mostly concentrated in the saline steppe communities of the southernmost forest-steppe zone. The species diversity is also high (249 species) in the open ruderal communities dominated by species characteristic of the pioneer stages of the steppe successions. Some steppe reservations include over 50% of the entire regional fauna of phytophagous beetles. The species diversity in the steppe localities decreases northward due to a gradual decrease in the number and proportion of the Scythian species: from 55% in the middle of the foreststeppe zone to 36% near its northern boundary. The species diversity of the slope communities in the forest-steppe zone is at least not lower than that in the similar areas of the steppe zone. The ratio of the number of Curculionoidea species to that of plant species is very high, reaching about 3: 4 in the model steppe localities of the High Trans-Volga forest-steppes, as compared to 1: 2 in the zonal steppe communities (according to the published data). The data considered confirm the significance of the forest-steppe zone as an important biodiversity center in the East European Plain and as a reservation of relicts of different origins.     

Hot spots, indicator taxa, complementarity and optimal networks of taiga

If hot spots for different taxa coincide, priority-setting surveys in a region could be carried out more cheaply by focusing on indicator taxa. Several previous studies show that hot spots of different taxa rarely coincide. However, in tropical areas indicator taxa may be used in selecting complementary networks to represent biodiversity as a whole. We studied beetles (Coleoptera), Heteroptera, polypores or bracket fungi (Polyporaceae) and vascular plants of old growth boreal taiga forests. Optimal networks for Heteroptera maximized the high overall species richness of beetles and vascular plants, but these networks were least favourable options for polypores. Polypores are an important group indicating the conservation value of old growth taiga forests. Random selection provided a better option. Thus, certain groups may function as good indicators for maximizing the overall species richness of some taxonomic groups, but all taxa should be examined separately.     

On the distribution of broad-winged moths (Lepidoptera, Oecophoridae) of the Palaearctic fauna

The Palaearctic fauna of broad-winged moths (Oecophoridae with the subfamilies Oecophorinae, Pleurotinae, and Deuterogoniinae) comprises 47 genera and 329 species. The number of species rapidly increases from north to south, from 19 species in the Euro-Siberian taiga Region to 149 in the Mediterranean Region, but the Scythian steppe Region (30 species) and Sethian desert Region (49 species) have relatively poor faunas because the majority of oecophorid species are trophically associated with arboreal plants. The proper desert species are very rare among Oecophoridae moths, and the majority of species in the Sethian desert Region occur in the mountains. The number of endemic species is also greater in southern regions; it amounts for more than half of the total number of species in the Hesperian and Orthrian evergreen forest regions and in the Sethian desert Region. The faunas of European (62 species) and Far Eastern (67 species) deciduous forests comprise close numbers of species but are very different, having only 5 species in common. This fact indicates their long isolation. The Oecophoridae are represented in the Palaearctic mainly by the genera with a small number of species, except for 2 genera, Pleurota (100 species) and Promalactis (85 species). The distribution patterns of these genera are opposite: the species of Pleurota are numerous in the south of West Europe and in North Africa, their number quickly decreasing from west to east and only 2 species being present in China (Wang, 2006). The species of Promalactis are numerous in Southeast Asia, their number quickly decreasing from east to west: 3 species occur in Tibet and only 1, P. splendidella (Amsel, 1935), in Israel and Turkey.     

Efficiency of a Rapid Assessment of the Diversity of Ground Beetles and Ants, in Natural and Disturbed Habitats of the Nahuel Huapi Region (NW Patagonia, Argentina)

We use sample-based rarefaction curves to evaluate the efficiency of a rapid species richness assay of ground beetles and ants captured in pitfall traps in the Nahuel Huapi National Park (NW Patagonia, Argentina). We ask whether ant species richness patterns show some concordance with those of beetles, and use several extrapolation indices for estimating the expected number of species at a regional scale. A total of 342 pitfall traps were spread in groups, at an intensity of 9 traps/100 m², with two collection stations, at each of 19 sites representative of burned and unburned habitats in the forest, scrub and steppe, along a west-to-east transect of 63 km long. The high regional habitat heterogeneity along the west-to-east gradient is paralleled by a turnover of beetle and ant species, although different families of Coleoptera show idiosyncratic responses across habitat types. Spatial stratification of sampling over three major habitats along with the inclusion of burned and unburned environments may improve sampling efficiency. The observed and extrapolated species richness suggests that we captured a high proportion of the total number of species of beetles and ants known for the region. However, trends in species richness of ants may not indicate similar trends in beetles. Ants and beetles cannot be used as surrogate taxa for the analysis of species richness patterns. Instead, both taxa should be considered as focal as they may offer complementary information for the analysis of the effect of disturbance and regional habitat heterogeneity on species diversity patterns at a regional scale.     

放牧强度对短花针茅荒漠草原甲虫群落分布格局的影响

放牧对脆弱的荒漠草原生态系统有着重要影响,且随放牧强度及持续时间不同而变化。鞘翅目昆虫是环境监测与生物多样性变化的指示生物。利用巴氏罐诱法对短花针茅荒漠草原不同放牧强度草地的甲虫群落组成和多样性进行调查,探究放牧对荒漠草原甲虫群落的影响。结果表明:(1)步甲科、金龟科为短花针茅荒漠草原甲虫群落优势类群,埋葬甲科、芫菁科、拟步甲科和花金龟科为常见类群。(2)放牧强度增加不利于维持更多的捕食性甲虫;对照和轻度放牧样地可维持更多的腐食性甲虫。(3)甲虫数量随放牧强度增加而递减;群落多样性以重度放牧草地最大,轻度放牧草地最小;群落优势度为对照、中度、重度显著高于轻度放牧草地。各甲虫类群在不同放牧强度草地出现时间、高峰期均不同。(4)对照、轻度、重度放牧样地的甲虫优势类群群落结构不同于其他生境,但均与中度放牧样地存在相似性。轻度、中度、重度放牧样地的甲虫稀有类群群落结构不同于其他生境,但均与对照样地存在相似性。(5)甲虫群落个体数与植物群落物种丰富度、盖度、植物平均高度、生物量呈显著正相关。Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数均与植物群落物种丰富度、生物量显著负相关。研究结果为荒漠草原甲虫多样性保护提供参考依据。     

The fauna of free-living gamasid mites (Parasitiformes,Mesostigmata) in the northern Taiga: an analysis of the zonal specificity

According to the data of four-year sampling, the territory of the Pinega Reserve (Arkhangelsk Province) is populated by more than 117 gamasid mite species belonging to 18 families. A relative richness of this fauna is obviously associated with intensive karst processes. A number of species (arctic, Siberian, mountainous) is limited to karst localities characterized by low soil temperature and a short vegetation period. When comparing the local Mesostigmata faunas from different regions, it was suggested that only species lists of unspecialized free-leaving forms should be used. Changes in the species richness of separate families and their fraction in the total suborder diversity along the latitudinal gradient from dry steppes to polar deserts are individual, reflecting different ecological potencies. The zone of deciduous forests is characterized by the richest fauna of Mesostigmata as a whole and of the majority of its families. The northern boundaries for the distribution of separate families are outlined. The number of free-leaving species in the families Ascidae, Phytoseiidae, and Zerconidae varies most smoothly along the latitudinal gradient. Even in polar deserts, Ascidae and Phytoseiidae are represented by more than a single species. It is in the taiga that the family Ascidae becomes the most diverse among Mesostigmata. In the tundra zone, this tendency is more pronounced, and in polar deserts this family constitutes 70–83% of species in local faunas, represented mainly by the genus Arctoseius.     

Effects of elevation and slope on the alpha and beta diversity of ground-dwelling beetles in Mt. Jirisan National Park,South Korea

We examined the diversity of ground-dwelling (epigaeic) beetles at different elevations of the northern and southern slopes of Mt. Jirisan National Park, South Korea. We selected eight study sites from both slopes and collected the beetles 10 times from May 2018 to August 2019 using pitfall traps. We collected a total of 67 species and 12,304 individuals and found higher species richness and abundance among the beetles from the northern slope (54 species and 6,969 individuals) than the southern slope (46 species and 5,335 individuals). We observed that the proportion of species based on the biogeographic affinity (Palearctic or Oriental) did not depend on the elevation and slope. The species richness increased with elevation and the abundance showed hump-shaped with a peak at 800 m. While the overall beta diversity was similar at the mountain and slope levels, the underlying processes such as spatial turnover and nestedness differed at the mountain and slope levels, respectively. We found that the ground beetle assemblages depended on elevation and soil characteristics such as soil organic matter and pH but were unaffected by the vegetation type.     

人工柠条-荒漠草地交错带拟步甲昆虫群落多样性

选取宁夏东部盐池县人工柠条灌丛-荒漠草地交错带为研究样地,以距离梯度形式,利用巴氏诱罐法对拟步甲科昆虫群落多样性进行了调查,研究了边缘效应对拟步甲昆虫群落多样性的影响。共采集拟步甲昆虫1405只,分属8属13种。结果表明,克小鳖甲和弯齿琵甲个体数量分别占总个体数的32.74%和43.27%,为该地区的优势种类。拟步甲昆虫在人工柠条灌丛-荒漠草地交错带的分布可分为3种类型,优势种克小鳖甲和弯齿琵甲属于栖息地广布型,但二者并没有表现出十分均匀的适应性,而且他们在各样带的分布呈显著负相关,克小鳖甲的分布趋向于沙生荒漠环境,弯齿琵甲的分布趋向于柠条灌丛;常见种蒙古漠王、小皮鳖甲的分布偏向于喜好荒漠草地;异距琵甲、奥氏真土甲、网目土甲和淡红毛隐甲的分布则偏向于喜好柠条灌丛。拟步甲昆虫丰富度与Shannon-Wiener多样性沿边缘分别向柠条灌丛和荒漠草地内部降低,个体数量总体上沿柠条灌丛、交错带向荒漠草地内部降低,但各样带差异不显著。从季节动态看,荒漠草地和柠条灌丛物种多样性季节变化相似,3种生境拟步甲活动密度季节变化相似。边缘效应强度分析呈现边缘正效应。CCA排序图显示分类地位相近的物种在生态适应上具有趋同性。多元回归分析表明,植被密度影响拟步甲昆虫群落的优势种和个体数量,植被盖度和高度分别影响拟步甲群落的均匀度和丰富度。主坐标分析(PCo A)排序表明人工柠条灌丛-荒漠草地交错带的拟步甲昆虫群落组成与柠条灌丛内部没有明显分化,但趋于向柠条灌丛生境演替。     

青藏高原高寒草地植物物种丰富度及其与环境因子和生物量的关系

在青藏高原进行了大范围的群落调查 ,研究高原的两种主要草地群落类型———高寒草甸和高寒草原的植物物种丰富度及其变化。结果表明 :(1)在 5 0个样地 2 5 0个 1m× 1m的样方中 ,共出现 2 6 7种植物 ,其中高寒草甸179种 ,高寒草原 135种。在高寒草甸 ,1m2 样方内物种数最多为 32种 ,最少的仅为 3种 ;在高寒草原 ,物种数最多为 18种 /m2 ,最少的仅为 2种 /m2 。 (2 )物种丰富度随经度和纬度的增加呈增加趋势 ;随海拔的上升呈减少趋势。对物种丰富度与环境因子之间进行逐步回归 ,发现物种丰富度与生长季降水和温暖指数呈显著正相关。 (3)物种丰富度与地上生物量呈显著正相关。     

Seamounts: centres of endemism or species richness for ophiuroids?

Aim To test the hypotheses that seamounts exhibit high rates of endemism and/or species richness compared to surrounding areas of the continental slope and oceanic ridges. Location The south‐west Pacific Ocean from 19–57° S to 143–171° E. Methods Presence/absence museum data were compiled for seamount and non‐seamount areas at depths between 100 and 1500 m for the Ophiuroidea (brittle‐stars), an abundant and speciose group of benthic invertebrates. Large‐scale biogeographical gradients were examined through multivariate analyses at two spatial scales, at the scale of seamounts (< 1° of latitude/longitude) and regions (5–9°). The robustness of these patterns to spatially inconsistent sampling effort was tested using Monte Carlo‐style simulations. Levels of local endemism and species richness over numbers of samples were compared for seamount and non‐seamount areas using linear regressions. Non‐seamount populations were randomly generated from areas and depth ranges that reflected the typical sampling profile of seamounts. Results Seamount ophiuroid assemblages did not exhibit elevated levels of species richness or narrow‐range endemism compared with non‐seamount areas. Seamounts can exhibit high overall species richness for low numbers of samples, particularly on seamounts supporting a dense coral matrix, but this does not increase with additional sampling at the rates found in non‐seamount areas. There were relatively few identifiable seamount specialists. In general, seamount faunas reflected those found at similar depths in surrounding areas, including the continental slope. Seamount and non‐seamount faunas within the study area exhibited congruent latitudinal and bathymetric species turnover. Main conclusions Seamount faunas were variable for ophiuroid faunal composition, species richness and narrow‐range endemism, reflecting their environmental diversity and complex history. The continental slope was also variable, with some areas being particularly species rich. Broad geomorphological habitat categories such as ‘seamounts’ or ‘continental slope’ may be at the wrong scale to be useful for conservation planning.     

Low local but high beta diversity of tropical forest dung beetles in Madagascar

Aims We have compared local (alpha) and regional (beta) species diversities of dung beetles in wet forests in the main tropical regions including Madagascar. Madagascar is exceptional in lacking native large herbivorous mammals which produce the key resource for dung beetles elsewhere. Location Central and South America, mainland Africa, Madagascar and Southeast Asia. Methods Trapping data on dung beetles and data on mammalian faunas were obtained from published and unpublished studies. We used our original data for Madagascar. Results Species richness of dung beetles and that of large‐bodied (> 15 mm length) species in particular were highly significantly explained by the regional number of large‐bodied (> 10 kg) mammals (R² from 50 to 80%). For a given pairwise spatial distance between two communities, beta diversity was significantly higher in Madagascar than elsewhere, explaining the very high total species richness in Madagascar in spite of low local diversity. Main conclusion The presence and numbers of large herbivorous mammals greatly influence the species richness of dung beetles in tropical wet forests. The lack of native large herbivores rather than a limited species pool explains the low local diversity in Madagascar. Exceptionally high beta diversity in Madagascar suggests a pattern of old radiation involving extensive allopatric speciation.     

A test of Metabolic Theory as the mechanism underlying broad-scale species-richness gradients

Aim To test whether the temperature dependence of individuals’ metabolic rates is the mechanism shaping broad‐scale species‐richness gradients as proposed in the Metabolic Theory of Ecology recently proposed by Allen, Gillooly and Brown. Location North America, north of Mexico. Methods Metabolic Theory predicts that the natural logarithm of species richness will be a linear function of environmental temperature ((kT)⁻¹, where k is Boltzmann's constant and T is temperature in K) with a slope of −0.78. We tested these predictions using the broad‐scale variation in richness of amphibians, reptiles, trees, tiger beetles, butterflies and blister beetles. We tested whether the temperature–richness relationship was linear or curvilinear, and determined the range of temperature values (and geographical area) where the instantaneous slope of the curvilinear temperature–richness relationship was statistically indistinguishable from −0.78, after correcting for spatial autocorrelation. Results We found that for all taxa, temperature–richness relationships were curvilinear. Moreover, for five of six taxa, the slope of this relationship was close to the predicted value for only a narrow range of temperatures. Blister beetles displayed the widest temperature range that is consistent with the Metabolic Theory, covering 45% of the study's geographical area. For the remaining taxa, the geographical range in which the slope is consistent with the predicted value amounts to only 10–20% of North America. Main conclusions For a wide array of taxa in North America, temperature–richness relationships deviate from the pattern predicted by Metabolic Theory. These results demonstrate that the temperature dependence of individuals’ metabolic rates is not the sole cause of broad‐scale diversity gradients. Even in areas where factors other than temperature do not influence productivity, the data do not suggest that richness patterns are determined by the temperature dependence of metabolic rate.     

Distribution patterns of freshwater Ostracoda (Crustacea) in the Canary Islands with regards to habitat use and biogeography

In this study biogeographic patterns and habitatrelationships of freshwater Ostracoda wereinvestigated in the Canary Island archipelago. Mostdata were collected from published studies, thoughalso new data from Gran Canaria are presented. In all,22 freshwater species are presently known to theCanaries. Six species, viz. Ilyocypris bradyi,Cypris bispinosa, C. pubera, Herpetocypris chevreuxi, Heterocyprisincongruens, and Sarscypridopsis lanzarotensisare new to Gran Canaria, the first two also being newto the Canaries in general. Testing the influence ofa number of variables on faunal richness indicatedonly a weak association with island area. Distancesbetween islands also proved not significant, and sodid other properties of islands, including age,altitude and precipitation. This was in contrast to acomparison set of data comprising aquatic beetles.Like beetles, however, ostracods did not show a nestedpattern, i.e. faunas of species-poor islands were notsubsets of species-rich island faunas. By having lowendemicity (endemic species lacking in the Canaries),the ostracod fauna resembled island fern floras. Bothgroups of organisms have tiny diaspores (diameter<0.1 mm) and are extensively parthenogeneticsuggesting similar dispersal and founder mechanisms.We identified a pattern (with one exception), wherethose species with distributions extending acrossseveral islands also had wider within-islanddistributions. Many species showed affinities todifferent habitats depending on conductivity of water,altitude and habitat types: whether they werepermanent or temporary, hypogean or epigean, orcharacterized by running or stagnant waters.     

河西走廊中部戈壁地表甲虫群落动态变化及其影响因素

地表甲虫是戈壁主要的地表昆虫类群, 但我们对其种属组成和活动节律的认识还很有限。2018-2020年1-12月我们利用陷阱法对河西走廊中部典型砾质戈壁地表甲虫种类及数量进行了连续观测, 并测定了该区降水和温度。本文研究发现: (1)戈壁地表甲虫由步甲科、叶甲科、象甲科、粪金龟科和拟步甲科5科21种组成, 阿小鳖甲(Microdera kraatzi alashanica)、戈壁琵甲(Blaps gobiensis)和波笨粪金龟(Lethrus potanini)是优势地表甲虫种; (2)戈壁地表甲虫活动节律存在明显年季变异, 地表甲虫的活动期在3-10月, 地表甲虫活动密度的最大值出现在4-7月, 而物种丰富度的最大值均在5月出现; (3)降水增多的2019年地表甲虫的活动密度明显增加, 且2019年地表甲虫物种丰富度和多样性指数显著高于2018年; (4)地表甲虫的取食类型和个体大小影响它们的活动节律, 降水增多的年份提高了植食性的象甲科和部分拟步甲科的活动密度, 而一些拟步甲科的活动密度对降水的响应存在一定的滞后性; (5)降水和温度变化强烈影响地表甲虫活动节律, 地表甲虫的个体数和物种数与月降水量和月平均温度呈显著的二次曲线和指数关系, 植食性和捕食性甲虫对降水及温度变化响应较腐食性甲虫敏感, 大甲虫对降水变化的响应较中甲虫和小甲虫敏感。总之, 降水及温度变化影响了戈壁地表甲虫的活动节律, 而不同地表甲虫种对二者的响应因其生理生态特征不同而异, 从而影响了地表甲虫群落动态变化规律。     

Theoretical habitat templets, species traits, and species richness: aquatic Coleoptera in the Upper Rhône River and its floodplain

• 1 To test predictions of the river habitat templet and the patch dynamics concept, trends in species traits and species richness of aquatic beetles were related to the spatial-temporal variability of eighteen habitat types in the alluvial floodplain of the French Upper Rhône River. One hundred and twenty species of beetles were used in this analysis.
• 2 The basic information was obtained either from the literature (for most of the species traits) or from observations made at approximately 500 sampling sites in the Brégnier-Cordon and Jons sections over the past 19 years (for habitat utilization). This information was structured by a fuzzy coding technique and examined by ordination analyses.
• 3 Analyses of the relationships among nineteen species traits revealed a clear distinction according to traits such as body form (for adults), functional feeding type and food (adults and larvae), attachment to the substrate and dissemination potential (adults and larvae), and patterns of aquatic and/or terrestrial life of adults and larvae. Species traits such as number of descendants per reproductive cycle, and number of reproductive cycles per year or per individual showed less contrast, because these traits are rather homogeneous in aquatic beetles.
• 4 Analyses of the habitat utilization by the aquatic beetles revealed a vertical gradient that separates interstitial from superficial habitats, and a transverse gradient for the superficial habitats, which extends from the main channel towards permanent oxbow lakes and temporary waters.
• 5 The significant relationship betweeen species traits and habitat utilization demonstrates that most beetle species use a particular set of habitat types with a particular set of species trait modalities.
• 6 Species traits of aquatic beetles are homogeneous but evidently very successful and are adapted to many potential conditions of spatial–temporal variability. Because of this homogeneity, observations on aquatic beetles do not support trends of traits in the framework of spatial–temporal variability predicted from the river habitat templet.
• 7 The observed species richness of aquatic beetles is low in habitat types with a low spatial–temporal variability, increases as spatial variability increases, and tends to be highest at intermediate temporal variability. This pattern matches predictions of the patch dynamics concept.

     

Determinants of species richness, endemism and turnover in European longhorn beetles

This study assessed the diversity patterns of a large family of beetles, Cerambycidae, in Europe and tested the following hypotheses: 1) richness gradients of this hyperdiverse taxon are driven by water and energy variables; 2) endemism is explained by the same factors, but variation between areas also reflects post‐glacial re‐colonization processes; and 3) faunal composition is determined by the same climatic variables and, therefore, beta diversity (species turnover) is related to richness gradients. Species richness, endemism and beta diversity were modelled using inventories of 37 European territories, built from a database containing the distributions of 609 species. Area, spatial position, and nine topographical and climatic variables were used as predictors in regression and constrained analysis of principal coordinates modelling. Species richness was mostly explained by a temperature gradient, which produced a south‐to‐north decreasing richness gradient. Endemism followed the same pattern, but was also determined by longitudinal variation, peaking in the southwestern and southeastern corners of the continent. Faunal turnover was explained by an important purely spatial pattern and a spatially structured environmental gradient. Thus, contrary to other groups, cerambycid richness was mostly explained by environmental energy, but not by water availability. Endemism was concentrated in the Iberian and Greek peninsulas, but not in Italy. Thus, the latter area may have been the major source of post‐glacial re‐colonization for European longhorn beetles or, otherwise, a poor refuge during glaciations. Turnover patterns were independent of the richness gradient, because northern faunas are nested in southern ones. Turnover, in contrast to richness, was driven by both the independent effects of climate and geographic constraints that might reflect dispersal limitation or stochastic colonization events, suggesting that richness gradients are more environmentally deterministic phenomena than turnover patterns.     

Does an aridity and trophic resource gradient drive patterns of dung beetle food selection across the Botswana Kalahari?

1. Aridity gradients are paralleled by both reductions in resources and decreased species richness of animals. Across the aridity gradient of the Botswana Kalahari, a reduction in mammal species richness leads to reduced density and diversity of dung types, accompanied by reduced dung beetle species richness. We investigated whether this gradient also drives changes in dung beetle food type association and specialisation owing to a loss of some dung types to the arid southwest. 2. Dung beetles were sampled from three study sites in each of the six study areas using 2 × 10 grids of pitfall traps baited with dung (pig, elephant, cattle, and sheep) or carrion (chicken livers). 3. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that distributions of dung beetle species between bait types deviated significantly from random associations. 4. Central Kalahari assemblages were more specialist than those at the mesic and arid extremes of the gradient. 5. Patterns of selection and specialisation to bait types differed between mesic northeast and arid southwest study areas. There were specialist faunas on carrion and more generalist faunas on ruminant herbivore dung (cattle and sheep) in each region. However, specialist species associated with elephant dung in the northeast were replaced by a more generalist fauna in the southwest with an opposite trend on pig dung. 6. Reduced species richness and high species turnover from the mesic northeast to the arid southwest is paralleled by a shift in patterns of food association that may reflect changes in the diversity of food types, particularly the absence of elephant dung from the southwest.     

Ecological Structure of Recent and Last Glacial Mammalian Faunas in Northern Eurasia: The Case of Altai-Sayan Refugium

Pleistocene mammalian communities display unique features which differ from present-day faunas. The paleocommunities were characterized by the extraordinarily large body size of herbivores and predators and by their unique structure consisting of species now inhabiting geographically and ecologically distinct natural zones. These features were probably the result of the unique environmental conditions of ice age ecosystems. To analyze the ecological structure of Last Glacial and Recent mammal communities we classified the species into biome and trophic-size categories, using Principal Component analysis. We found a marked similarity in ecological structure between Recent eastern Altai-Sayan mammalian assemblages and comparable Pleistocene faunas. The composition of Last Glacial and Recent eastern Altai-Sayan assemblages were characterized by the occurrence of large herbivore and predator species associated with steppe, desert and alpine biomes. These three modern biomes harbor most of the surviving Pleistocene mammals. None of the analyzed Palearctic Last Glacial faunas showed affinity to the temperate forest, taiga, or tundra biome. The Eastern part of the Altai-Sayan region could be considered a refugium of the Last Glacial-like mammalian assemblages. Glacial fauna seems to persist up to present in those areas where the forest belt does not separate alpine vegetation from the steppes and deserts.     

Features of the life cycles of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pterostichus montanus</Emphasis> (Motschulsky, 1844) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carabus loschnikovi</Emphasis> (Fischer-Waldheim, 1822) (Coleoptera,Carabidae) in conditions of the mountain taiga belt in the Eastern Sayan

We studied the seasonal dynamics and demographic structure of abundant ground beetle species from the mountain taiga belt in the Eastern Sayan. Data on the dynamics of the sexual and age structure of the populations as well as on the reproductive capacity of females in the biotopes on the slopes with different exposure and height were obtained. Life cycles with one-and two-year development were revealed for the ground beetles typical for the mountain taiga belt. As an example, data on the life cycles of Pterostichus montanus (Motschulsky, 1844) with one-year spring development and Carabus loschnikovi (Fischer-Waldheim, 1822) with two-year polyvariant multiseasonal development are given for the first time. Two strategies were revealed in the life cycles of ground beetles under alpine conditions: an accelerated population development in spring one-year species and a two-year development with pronounced polyvariance in two intrapopulation groups of ground beetles of the Carabus genus. The seasonal dynamics of the activity and reproduction periods proved to vary for these species on the slopes along the height gradient.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Biologicheskaya, No. 1, 2005, pp. 36–46.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Sharova, Khobrakova.     

Knitting patterns of biodiversity,range size and body size in aquatic beetle faunas: significant relationships but slightly divergent drivers

1. Ecogeographical rules refer to recurring patterns in nature, including the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG), Rapoport's rule and Bergmann's rule, amongst others. In the present study, the existence of these rules was examined for diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), a family of aquatic predatory beetles. 2. Assemblage‐level data were analysed for diving beetles, focusing on species richness, local contribution to beta diversity (LCBD), mean range size and mean body size across the biogeographical provinces of Northern Europe. First, each of these variables was correlated with latitude, and then variation in each variable was modelled using actual environmental variables in boosted regression tree analysis. 3. Species richness was found to decrease with latitude, LCBD increased with latitude, mean range size did not show a significant relationship with latitude, and mean body size decreased with latitude. The latter finding was in contrast to Bergmann's rule. The actual environmental variables best predicting variation in these four response variables varied among the models, although they generally included temperature‐related and land use variables as the most influential ones. 4. The results obtained in the present study suggest that diving beetles conformed to the LDG, did not follow Rapoport's rule, and showed a reversed latitudinal gradient in the context of Bergmann's rule. In addition, species‐poor provinces harboured ecologically most unique faunas, suggesting that species richness and LCBD are complementary measures of biodiversity. 5. Even though general support was not found for most of the ecogeographical rules examined, the findings of the present study are interesting because they suggest that aquatic ectothermic invertebrates may show patterns different from those originally described for terrestrial endothermic vertebrates.