Effects of urbanization on ground beetle assemblages (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of grassland habitats in western Canada

We pitfall-trapped carabid beetles across an urban-rural gradient in central Alberta, Canada to assess the relative contributions of landscape structure and habitat quality in explaining variation in composition of assemblages. The gradient ranged from the "urban" zone in the city of Edmonton, through a "suburban" zone just outside the city, into a "rural" zone 25–60 km east of the city. We trapped beetles at three replicated sites for each of two habitats (unmanaged grasslands and highly managed graveyards) in each of the three zones. Most of the 24 species (3162 individuals) captured were commonly associated with open habitats. Pterostichus melanarius , an introduced species, made up 80% of the total catch. Carabid assemblages of grasslands and graveyards were distinct, with lower species richness and lower catch rates of native, introduced and brachypterous carabids in graveyards. Graveyard assemblages also had proportionally fewer brachypterous carabid individuals (32 vs 52%) and species (20 vs 36%), suggesting that populations recruit locally from elsewhere after disturbances. Native carabids were least abundant in the urban areas. Brachypterous carabids were similarly abundant across the gradient, but more occurred in the urban zone than elsewhere (32 vs 5–10%). Samples from graveyards were characterized by lower beta diversity (variation among samples) than those from grasslands, but beta diversity was more-or-less equally variable across the gradient within habitats. The amount of unmanaged grassland habitat and the degree of urbanization significantly influence carabid assemblages, and therefore are relevant to management and conservation of urban grassland areas.     

Carabid Beetle and Spider Assemblages along a Forested Urban–Rural Gradient in Southern Finland

To investigate the effects of urbanization on carabid beetles (Carabidae) and ground dwelling spiders (Araneae) a study was completed along a 20km urban–rural forest gradient in the Helsinki–Espoo area of southern Finland. To study changes in assemblage structure, abundance and species richness, these taxa were collected in the year 2000 using pitfall traps, which had been placed in four forest sites within each of the urban, suburban and rural zones. We expected to find changes in the abundances and species richnesses in the two taxa across the urban–rural gradient, but did not find any. Our second and third hypotheses, stating that generalist species and small-bodied species should gain dominance along the gradient from rural to urban sites, were partly supported as carabid specialists were more characteristic of suburban and rural environments whereas generalists were more likely to be collected from rural areas compared to suburban or urban sites. Furthermore, medium to large-sized carabid individuals were more likely to be collected in the rural sites compared to urban forests. We found no evidence for significant changes in spider abundance or species richness across the urban–rural gradient in relation to body size or habitat specialization. We suggest that urbanization does not have significant effects on the total abundances and species richnesses in these two taxa. However, individual species responded differently to urbanization, and there were significant differences in the specialization and body sizes of carabids across the gradient.     

Changes in carabid beetle assemblages across an urban-rural gradient in Japan

As part of the international Globenet project, carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) were collected using pitfall traps from four urban, four suburban and four rural sites in Hiroshima City, Japan, during the 2001 summer season. In agreement with expectation, carabid abundance and species richness decreased significantly from rural to urban sites. Furthermore, no large, and only few individuals of medium-sized specialist species were collected from the urban environment, while many specimens of medium-sized and some large-sized specialist species were collected from the suburban and rural sites. Hiroshima city was characterised by medium-sized generalist carabids, while the suburbs and the rural environments were characterised by small-sized generalist beetles. These results did not apply at the species level. To summarise, we found a significant effect of urbanisation on the composition of carabid beetle assemblages in Hiroshima City. These changes were similar to those found in previous studies performed in Sofia (Bulgaria), Edmonton (Canada) and Helsinki (Finland). Thus, it appears that urbanisation has some similar and predictable effects on carabid assemblages in various parts of the world.     

Ant assemblages on littered food waste and food removal rates in urban–suburban parks of Tokyo

Ants are one of the major animals utilizing waste in urban areas, and presumably have an important role in nutrient redistribution and cycling. However, information on ant assemblages on artificial food and their food removal rates in different habitat types is lacking, and the relationship between ant assemblage and removal rate is poorly understood. We assessed assemblages of ants on experimentally placed foods (potato chips, cookies and ham) and their food removal rates on three land cover types (woodlands, lawns and pavements) at 90 sites in 10 urban and suburban parks of Tokyo. Then, we examined the relationship between ant assemblage and food removal rate. In total, 11 trophic generalist ants were associated with food removal. Species composition differed significantly between land cover types, and the mean number of species was higher in woodlands than on lawns and pavements, while not significantly different between urban and suburban parks. The ants removed, on average, 6.3 g of 18-g food in fresh weight (or 5.3 g of 13.9-g food in dry weight) per site in 24 h. There were both negative and positive associations between ant species presence and food removal rate, but no significant associations between species number and food removal rate. Food removal rate was highest on lawns, and that in woodlands was not significantly different from that on lawns and pavements. Therefore, our study suggests that ants on lawns and pavements, despite lower number of species and altered species composition, have a comparable or higher ability to redistribute nutrients from artificial foods as compared with woodland ants. This indicates that such highly artificial land cover types should also be included in studies on urban ecosystem services.     

Changing bee and hoverfly pollinator assemblages along an urban-rural gradient

Background

The potential for reduced pollination ecosystem service due to global declines of bees and other pollinators is cause for considerable concern. Habitat degradation, destruction and fragmentation due to agricultural intensification have historically been the main causes of this pollinator decline. However, despite increasing and accelerating levels of global urbanization, very little research has investigated the effects of urbanization on pollinator assemblages. We assessed changes in the diversity, abundance and species composition of bee and hoverfly pollinator assemblages in urban, suburban, and rural sites across a UK city.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Bees and hoverflies were trapped and netted at 24 sites of similar habitat character (churchyards and cemeteries) that varied in position along a gradient of urbanization. Local habitat quality (altitude, shelter from wind, diversity and abundance of flowers), and the broader-scale degree of urbanization (e.g. percentage of built landscape and gardens within 100 m, 250 m, 500 m, 1 km, and 2.5 km of the site) were assessed for each study site. The diversity and abundance of pollinators were both significantly negatively associated with higher levels of urbanization. Assemblage composition changed along the urbanization gradient with some species positively associated with urban and suburban land-use, but more species negatively so. Pollinator assemblages were positively affected by good site habitat quality, in particular the availability of flowering plants.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results show that urban areas can support diverse pollinator assemblages, but that this capacity is strongly affected by local habitat quality. Nonetheless, in both urban and suburban areas of the city the assemblages had fewer individuals and lower diversity than similar rural habitats. The unique development histories of different urban areas, and the difficulty of assessing mobile pollinator assemblages in just part of their range, mean that complementary studies in different cities and urban habitats are required to discover if these findings are more widely applicable.     

Landscape effects on birds in urban woodlands: an analysis of 34 Swedish cities

Aim To compare bird abundances in woodlands along gradients from the city centre to the peri‐urban area. To evaluate the importance of the proportion of woodland within the city and in the peri‐urban landscape to forest bird communities breeding in urban woodlands. To test whether fragmentation effects on birds were linked to the type of peri‐urban matrix. Location A total of 34 Swedish cities with > 10,000 inhabitants in south‐central Sweden. The study area covered 105,000 km², in which 84% of the Swedish population of 9.1 million lives. Methods Repeated point count surveys were conducted in 2004 in a total of 474 woodlands. General linear models were used to test for possible differences in abundance along urban to peri‐urban gradients, and to regress bird abundances in local urban woodlands on: (1) total woodland cover in the city, (2) total woodland cover in the peri‐urban landscape, (3) the interaction between woodland cover in the city and in the peri‐urban area, (4) region, and (5) human density. Results More than 12,000 individuals of 100 forest bird species were recorded. Of the 34 most common species detected, 13 bird species had higher abundances in urban than in peri‐urban woodlands, and seven species showed the opposite trend. The bird community of urban woodlands was characterized by species associated with deciduous forests and tree nesters, whereas the bird community of peri‐urban woodlands was characterized by species associated with coniferous woodland and ground nesters. Twelve species were significantly linearly associated with the proportion of urban woodland and/or the proportion of peri‐urban woodland, and a further eight species were associated with the interaction between these two factors. Local breeding bird abundances of four species were significantly positively associated with the proportion of urban woodland only in farmland‐dominated landscapes. Main conclusions Fragmentation effects on some urban birds are linked to the type of peri‐urban matrix. In farmland landscapes, peri‐urban woodlands may have been too scarce to act as a source of bird immigrants to fragmented urban woodlands. To maintain populations of specialized forest birds within cities in landscapes dominated by agriculture, it is of paramount importance to conserve any remaining urban woodlands.     

Using biological traits to assess how urbanization filters plant species of small woodlands

Question: Which biological traits (persistence, regeneration, dispersion traits and resource requirements) may explain the distribution of woodland flora along an urban–rural gradient? Location: The study was carried out in three medium‐sized conurbations of north‐western France: Angers, Nantes and Rennes. Methods: We sampled the vegetation of 36 small woodlands of about 1.5 ha composed of non‐planted vegetation along an urban–rural gradient. We characterized the position of woodlands along the urban–rural gradient by examining adjacent land cover. By using an ordination analysis (RLQ), we analysed which traits out of –23 tested were related to the contrasted distribution of species along the urban–rural gradient. Results: Species that are more likely to be found in urban woodlands than rural woodlands have different persistence traits (higher specific leaf area, more often rosette or semi‐rosette form, less underground vegetative multiplication), resource requirements (affinity for base‐rich and fertile soils) and regeneration traits (short life‐span). Dispersion traits were not related to the distribution of species along the urban–rural gradient. Conclusions: Our approach identifies traits that can help to determine the vulnerability of forest species as a result of the environmental changes that follow urbanization. Limiting the influence of the urban environment on habitat quality (particularly disturbance and soil enrichment) is likely to be of major importance in maintaining the plant biodiversity in woodlands.     

The spatial distribution of birds and carabid beetles in pine plantation forests: the role of landscape composition and structure

Aim To evaluate the joint and independent effects of spatial location, landscape composition and landscape structure on the distribution patterns of bird and carabid beetle assemblages in a mosaic landscape dominated by pine plantation forests. Location A continuous 3000‐ha landscape mosaic with native maritime pine Pinus pinaster plantations of different ages, deciduous woodlands and open habitats, located in the Landes de Gascogne forest of south‐western France. Methods We sampled breeding birds by 20‐min point counts and carabid beetles by pitfall trapping using a systematic grid sampling of 200 points every 400 m over the whole landscape. Explanatory variables were composed of three data sets derived from GIS habitat mapping: (1) spatial variables (polynomial terms of geographical coordinates of samples), (2) landscape composition as the percentage cover of the six main habitats, and (3) landscape structure metrics including indices of fragmentation and spatial heterogeneity. We used canonical correspondence analysis with variance partitioning to evaluate the joint and independent effects of the three sets of variables on the ordination of species assemblages. Moran's I correlograms and Mantel tests were used to assess for spatial structure in species distribution and relationships with separate landscape attributes. Results Landscape composition was the main factor explaining the distribution patterns of birds and carabids at the mesoscale of 400 × 400 m. Independent effects of spatial variables and landscape structure were still significant for bird assemblages once landscape composition was controlled for, but not for carabid assemblages. Spatial distributions of birds and carabids were primarily influenced by the amount of heathlands, young pine plantations, herbaceous firebreaks and deciduous woodlands. Deciduous woodland species had positive responses to edge density, while open habitat species were positively associated with mean patch area. Main conclusions Forest birds were favoured by an increase in deciduous woodland cover and landscape heterogeneity, but there was no evidence for a similar effect on carabid beetles. Fragmentation of open habitats negatively affected both early‐successional birds and carabids, specialist species being restricted to large heathlands and young plantations. Several birds of conservation concern were associated with mosaics of woodlands and grasslands, especially meadows and firebreaks. Conserving biodiversity in mosaic plantation landscapes could be achieved by the maintenance of a significant amount of early‐successional habitats and deciduous woodland patches within a conifer plantation matrix.     

Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages associated with a satoyama landscape in Japan: the effects of soil moisture,weed height,and distance from woodlands

Agricultural landscapes generally include not only crop fields but also semi-natural habitats. In Japan, such a mixed rural landscape is called “satoyama.” Although ground beetles are potential predators of pests, the environmental factors that determine their distribution in Japanese rural landscapes have not been fully elucidated. To understand the effects of distance from woodland edges, soil moisture, and weed height on assemblages of carabid beetles, we examined the number of adult beetles in pitfall traps placed in a satoyama landscape in the lowlands of western Honshu, Japan. Our results show that the carabid species could be largely differentiated into woodland, intermediate, and open-land species. The “intermediate species” group includes species that depend on woodland or woodland edges for at least part of their life cycles. Paddy fields must have long provided semi-natural habitats that complement those in natural grasslands and wetlands for open-land beetles that prefer wet conditions. Weeds can also increase the abundance of some intermediate and woodland species; thus, the arrangement of such landscape elements as woodlands and paddies can determine the species richness and abundance of ground beetles in agricultural fields.     

Impact of urbanization on a gall-inhabiting Lepidoptera assemblage: the importance of reserves in urban areas

This paper examines the structure of a Lepidoptera assemblage in an urban environment in South Africa. The Lepidoptera inhabit fungus-induced galls on Acacia karroo. Habitat patches supporting the moth assemblage were sampled from rural, urban-reserve, suburban and city sites and the habitat quality at each of these sites was quantified. Gall occupancy, larval density and species richness were lowest at the most disturbed, city sites. Non-parametric multivariate techniques showed that the moth-assemblage structure did not differ significantly at rural and urban-reserve sites. Assemblage structure at the suburban sites was variable and appeared to be transitional in structure between the city assemblage and the rural and urban-reserve assemblages. Habitat quality variables however were weakly correlated with moth-assemblage structure. The contribution of urban reserves to the local sustainability of this Lepidoptera assemblage emphasizes the importance of maintaining green areas in and around cities.     

Does urbanization decrease diversity in ground beetle (Carabidae) assemblages?

Aim We wanted to test whether urbanization has similar effects on biodiversity in different locations, comparing the responses of ground beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) assemblages with an urbanization gradient. We also wanted to see if urbanization had a homogenizing effect on ground beetle assemblages. Locations Nine forested temperate locations in Europe, Canada and Japan. Methods Published results of the Globenet Project were used. At all locations, three stages were identified: (1) a forested (rural) area, (2) a suburban area where the original forest was fragmented and isolated, and (3) remnants of the original forest in urban parks. These habitats formed an urbanization series. Study arrangements (number and operation of traps) and methods (pitfall trapping) were identical, conforming to the Globenet protocol. Assemblage composition and diversity patterns were evaluated. Diversity relationships were analysed by the Rényi diversity ordering method considering all ground beetles and – separately – the forest specialist species. Taxonomic homogenization was examined by multivariate methods using assemblage similarities. Results Overall biodiversity (compared by species richness and diversity ordering) showed inconsistent trends by either urbanization intensity or by geographic position. However, when only forest species were compared, diversity was higher in the original rural (forested) areas than in urban forest fragments. Within‐country similarities of carabid assemblages were always higher than within‐urbanization stage similarities. Main conclusions Urbanization does not appear to cause a decrease in ground beetle diversity per se. Forest species decline as urbanization intensifies but this trend is masked by an influx of non‐forest species. The rural faunas were more similar to the urban ones within the same location than similar urbanization stages were to each other, indicating that urbanization did not homogenize the taxonomic composition of ground beetle faunas across the studied locations.     

Moth species richness,abundance and diversity in fragmented urban woodlands: implications for conservation and management strategies

Urban expansion threatens global biodiversity through the destruction of natural and semi-natural habitats and increased levels of disturbance. Whilst woodlands in urban areas may reduce the impact of urbanisation on biodiversity, they are often subject to under or over-management and consist of small, fragmented patches which may be isolated. Effective management strategies for urban woodland require an understanding of the ecology and habitat requirements of all relevant taxa. Yet, little is known of how invertebrate, and in particular moth, assemblages utilise urban woodland despite being commonly found within the urban landscape. Here we show that the abundance, species richness, and species diversity of moth assemblages found within urban woodlands are determined by woodland vegetation character, patch configuration and the surrounding landscape. In general, mature broadleaved woodlands supported the highest abundance and diversity of moths. Large compact woodlands with proportionally less edge exposed to the surrounding matrix were associated with higher moth abundance than small complex woodlands. Woodland vegetation characteristics were more important than the surrounding landscape, suggesting that management at a local scale to ensure provision of good quality habitat may be relatively more important for moth populations than improving habitat connectivity across the urban matrix. Our results show that the planting of broadleaved woodlands, retaining mature trees and minimising woodland fragmentation will be beneficial for moth assemblages.     

Urban densification causes the decline of ground-dwelling arthropods

Urban densification is often considered has a green planning policy. However, its effects on woodland arthropods have been rarely analysed. To fill this gap, a multi-taxa approach using three ground-dwelling arthropod assemblages was conducted on 11 woodlands located along an urbanisation gradient. The gradient range from rural areas to one of the most urbanized cities in the world: Paris (France). Spiders, ground beetles and rove beetles were sampled with pitfall traps. We addressed the two following questions: (i) do the responses to urbanisation differ between taxa and/or between trait groups (habitat affinity to woodlands and dispersal capability) along the gradient? (ii) do the richness and abundance show a linear or an intermediate response? Our results showed a replacement of forest and non-flying species by generalist species and flying species with an increasing level of urbanisation. In term of species richness and abundance, the response varied between taxonomical and also trait groups. Some groups showed a strong linear decrease like forest carabids but other groups like spiders showed maximum values at intermediate levels of urbanisation. However, after a threshold of 70 % of built-in area, urbanisation negatively affected the species richness of all taxa and almost all trait groups, with a stronger effect on forest species. We suggest that the urban densification strongly impacted the assemblages of ground-dwelling arthropods by modifying both landscape and local properties of woodlands. To be considered as a green planning policy, the deleterious effects of urban densification should be mitigated.     

Ant assemblages in isolated trees are more sensitive to species loss and replacement than their woodland counterparts

Isolated trees possess an arthropod assemblage different to that found in woodland trees. While isolated trees become an increasingly dominant part of many landscapes, with ‘off reserve’ habitat conservation potential, we know little about the drivers of their assemblage structure. While sampling bimonthly for 12 months in the seasonally dry tropics of Mexico, we characterized the ant species most likely to occupy isolated trees in comparison to small woody patches (‘matorral’; 0.13–0.74 ha), and examined the influence of environmental variables on the respective ant assemblages at both canopy and ground level. Isolated trees possessed a predictable ant assemblage: when compared to the woodland patches, isolated trees were characterised by a lack of specialised arboreal species and an increase in generalised terrestrial species reaching the canopy. Arboreal woodland ant species were as affected by tree isolation as the terrestrial woodland ant fauna. Ant assemblages at isolated trees correlated with a series of microenvironmental (microclimate and biophysical) variables, but this was not the case for the ant assemblages in woodlands. This suggests that at very small habitat sizes (e.g., isolated trees), microenvironment influences assemblage composition by favouring more environmentally tolerant or opportunistic species. Although we were unable to identify alternative variables (e.g., patch area, connectivity) which correlated with assemblage composition in larger habitat patches, it appears that in such patches, local microenvironment is less closely associated with assemblage structure, and variables such as patch and landscape configuration become increasingly important. In a practical sense, micro-habitat restoration aimed at augmentation of vegetation surrounding isolated trees may therefore be an effective means of increasing matrix habitat quality and increasing the partitioning of the arboreal and terrestrial faunas, thereby conserving a broader range of species. More generally, movement of matrix species into habitat patches appears to apply universally over a range of scales and taxa, and provides a distinct contrast to the predictions based on the Theory of Island Biogeography.     

The effects of urban or rural landscape context and distance from the edge on native woodland plant communities

The increasing rate of urban sprawl continues to fragment European landscapes threatening the persistence of native woodland plant communities. The dynamics of woodland edges depend on the characteristics of woodland patches and also on landscape context. Our aim was to assess the extent of edge influences on the understorey vegetation of small native woodlands in rural and urban landscapes. The study was carried out in two cities of north-western France. Ten comparable woodlands, each of about 1.5 ha, were surveyed; five were situated adjacent to crops and five adjacent to built-up land. Vascular plant species were recorded in 420 3 × 3 m plots placed at seven different distances from the edge (from 0 to about 45 m from the edge). Soil pH, light levels, level of disturbance and tree and shrub cover were also recorded. Plant species were first classified as non-indigenous or indigenous and then three groups of indigenous species were distinguished according to their affinity for forest habitat (forest specialists, forest generalists and non-forest species). We inferred certain ecological characteristics of understorey vegetation by using Ellenberg values. An inter-class correspondence analysis was carried out to detect patterns of variation in plant community composition. Linear mixed models were used to test the effects of adjacent land use, distance from the edge and their interactions on the species richness of the different groups and on the ecological characteristics of vegetation. Total species richness, richness of forest generalists and of non-forest species decreased from edge to interior in both urban and rural woodlands. The number of non-indigenous species depended mainly on urban–rural landscape context. Urban woodland edges were not as rich in forest specialists as rural edges. More surprisingly, the number of forest specialists was higher in rural edges than in rural interiors. Community composition was mainly affected by urban–rural context and to a lesser degree by the edge effect: the community composition of urban edges resembled that of urban interiors whereas in rural woodlands vegetation near edges (up to 10 m) strongly differed from interiors with a pool of species specific to edges. Urban woodland vegetation was more nitrophilous than rural vegetation in both edges and interiors. A major difference between urban and rural vegetation was the distribution of basiphilous species according to distance from the edge. Generally edge vegetation was more basiphilous than interior vegetation however the presence of basiphilous species fell off quickly with distance from the edge in rural woodlands (in the first 10–15 m) and more slowly (from 25 m onwards) in urban woodlands. This pattern was linked to variation in measured soil pH. As regards the conservation of flora in small native woodlands, it appeared that invasion of exotic and non-forest species was currently limited in both urban and rural landscape contexts but might pose problems in the future, especially in urban woodlands. Forest species were not negatively affected by the edge effect and indeed edges seemed to provide important habitats for this group. Hence conservationists should pay particular attention to the protection of edges in urban woodlands.     

Non‐linearities in bird responses across urbanization gradients: A meta‐analysis

Urbanization is one of the most extreme forms of environmental alteration, posing a major threat to biodiversity. We studied the effects of urbanization on avian communities via a systematic review using hierarchical and categorical meta‐analyses. Altogether, we found 42 observations from 37 case studies for species richness and 23 observations from 20 case studies for abundance. Urbanization had an overall strong negative effect on bird species richness, whereas abundance increased marginally with urbanization. There was no evidence that city size played a role in influencing the relationship between urbanization and either species richness or abundance. Studies that examined long gradients (i.e. from urban to rural) were more likely to detect negative urbanization effects on species richness than studies that considered short gradients (i.e. urban vs. suburban or urban vs. rural areas). In contrast, we found little evidence that the effect of urbanization on abundance was influenced by gradient length. Effects of urbanization on species richness were more negative for studies including public green spaces (parks and other amenity areas) in the sampled landscapes. In contrast, studies performed solely in the urban matrix (i.e. no green spaces) revealed a strong positive effect on bird abundance. When performing subset analyses on urban–suburban, suburban–rural and suburban–natural comparisons, species richness decreased from natural to urban areas, but with a stronger decrease at the urban–suburban interface, whereas bird abundance showed a clear intermediate peak along the urban–rural gradient although abundance in natural areas was comparable to that in suburban areas. This suggests that species loss happens especially at the urban–suburban interface, and that the highest abundances occur in suburban areas compared to urban or rural areas. Thus, our study shows the importance of suburban areas, where the majority of birds occur with fairly high species richness.     

Ground beetle diversity in ancient woodland remnants in north-western Germany (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

We investigated ground beetle communities (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in ancient woodland remnants in north-western Lower Saxony, Germany. A total of 90 pitfall traps was exposed in a stratified design in 10 stands of mature oak–beech and oak–hornbeam forests in the year 2003. Overall, 47 species (10,676 individuals) were recorded. Among these were the two relict species Carabus glabratus and Abax parallelus, and 14 further eurytopic forest species. Eleven species exhibited a high frequency and were found in all of the ten stands. Multiple linear regressions showed several significant relationships at two scales for species richness of different groups of carabids and for several of the measured environmental factors. Forest area, litter depth, amount of dead wood, distance to forest edge, and soil moisture were found to be key factors determining species richness. Furthermore, recent disturbance by logging reduced the number of forest species. According to direct gradient analyses soil moisture and litter depth have greatest influence on species communities of both, forest species and widespread species. Habitat suitability models for the two recorded relict species, A. paralellus and C. glabratus, were developed using logistic regression. The presence of A. parallelus in the mature ancient woodland remnants depends mainly on higher values of soil moisture, whereas for C. glabratus none of the measured environmental variables appeared to be key factors. Implications for the conservation of carabid assemblages in mature ancient woodlands include the advice to spread out logging over long periods of time and over various woodlands in order to keep the stand disturbance at a long-term low level. Variation in logging practices may help to conserve diverse structures. Afforestation with non-native tree species should be avoided in the managed ancient woodlands. Finally, especially the preservation of a high soil moisture seems to be important to conserve typical carabid communities.     

Forest edge contrasts have a predictable effect on the spatial distribution of carabid beetles in urban forests

Fragmented urban forest remnants are characterised by sharp edges and are bordered by various land-use types, which may have a considerable effect on the fauna and flora at forest edges, and into forest interiors. To investigate the effects of differentially contrasting edges (low vs. intermediate vs. high) on carabid beetle assemblages in urban boreal forests, we placed pitfall traps along a gradient from 6?m into three matrix types (secondary forest vs. grassland vs. asphalt) up to 60?m into urban forest patches in the cities of Vantaa and Helsinki, southern Finland. Individual species and carabid beetle assemblages were strongly affected by edge contrasts and distance from the forest edge. The strongest effect on individual species was caused by high contrasting edges: generalist and open-habitat species were favoured or not affected while forest specialists were affected negatively. Effects of the abundances of potential prey and competitors on the carabid beetles were also evaluated. Forest and moisture-associated carabid species were negatively to neutrally associated with springtail abundances while generalist and open habitat, and dryness associated species were more positively related to springtail abundances (a potential food source). In terms of potential competitors, forest and moisture-associated carabid species were negatively and/or neutrally affected by ant and wood ant numbers, while generalist and open-habitat species were neutrally to positively associated with these taxa. It appears that carabid beetle habitat associations are more important in the responses of these beetles across edges of different contrast than are the prey and competitor numbers collected there. We recommend the creation of “soft” or low-contrast urban edges if the aim of urban management is to protect forest carabids in cities.     

北京密云农业景观步甲群落空间分布格局

采用陷阱法对北京密云县西田各庄南部农业景观中玉米地、花生地、果园及半自然林地4种典型生境中的步甲群落进行调查分析.结果表明: 果园步甲群落α多样性最高,花生地最低,林地与玉米地居中,且二者无显著差异;林地、花生地及果园的步甲群落结构明显不同,但均与玉米地的步甲群落结构有不同程度的相似性.果园维持着较多的捕食性步甲和兼食性步甲个体数;且不同生境间捕食性步甲的物种周转率与兼食性步甲的差异更明显.低集约化的果园生境可能较半自然生境林地维持更高的步甲群落α多样性,但多样化的景观组成有利于维持步甲群落及捕食性步甲较高的β多样性.重视景观多样性和低集约化农田生境的保护对保护农业景观步甲群落多样性和实现其害虫控制功能具有重要的意义.     

上海城市森林草本植物多样性的城乡分布格局

林下草本植物是城市森林生物多样性重要的保育层,敏感度高,可塑性强,能有效反映城市植被对城市化的响应策略。本研究在上海市范围内沿中心城区—近郊—远郊的城乡梯度,共选取16块林地共398个样方,分析了上海市森林草本群落区系特征和多样性格局沿城乡梯度的变化规律。结果表明:上海城市森林生态系统中共有草本植物144种,隶属47科118属;多年生草本74种,占半数以上(51.39%);属和种分别涵盖18和12个分布区类型和亚型,以热带和温带成分为主;外来植物28种,占比接近20%;物种丰富度和群落多样性指数均沿中心城区—近郊—远郊梯度先下降后上升,近郊最低,远郊最高;中心城区物种构成与远郊相似,与近郊差异最大。本研究揭示了城市森林生态系统中草本植物的分布格局以及多样性沿城乡梯度的变化规律,为深入开展城市化与城市植被的互作研究提供了理论支撑,为管理部门制定相关政策提供了科学依据。