Divergent biogeography of native and introduced soil macroinvertebrates in North America north of Mexico

To improve understanding of the biogeographical consequences of species introduction, we examined whether introduced soil macroinvertebrates differ from natives in the relationship between species richness and key environmental predictors, and whether such differences affect the relationship between native and introduced species richness. For North America north of Mexico, we summarized jurisdiction occurrence data for seven macroinvertebrate taxa with strong influences on soil biodiversity or processes. We analysed the relationships of native and introduced species richness to each other using linear regression; to latitude using Gaussian regressions; and, using the residuals of the richness–latitude regressions, to distance from coasts, human population density, and human population size using regression and correlation. We found weak to strong positive relationships between native and introduced species richness. This variation was related to divergent relationships of native and introduced species with latitude, human population density, and distance from coasts. Native species richness declined with increasing latitude for all taxa, as did introduced species richness for taxa with predominantly lower‐latitude origins (ants, termites, non‐lumbricid earthworms). In contrast, introduced species richness peaked at higher latitudes for four taxa of predominantly Palearctic origins (weevils, ground beetles, lumbricid earthworms, isopods). Partitioning introduced taxa within these groups based on region of origin, we found that Palearctic taxa were distributed at higher latitudes than non‐Palearctic taxa. Thus source region appears to strongly influence introduced species richness–latitude relationships. Compared to natives, introduced species exhibited more positive relationships with human population density and negative relationships with distance from coasts, but did not differ in relationships with human population size. Thus coastal, densely populated regions are likely to have a higher proportion of introduced soil macroinvertebrate species. These differences between distribution of native and introduced species tend to weaken positive correlations between native and introduced species richness, especially for taxa dominated by Palearctic introductions.     

Contribution à la connaissance des Odonates de Guyane française. Les larves de Macrothemispumila Karsch, 1889 et de Brechmorhoga praedatrix Calvert, 1909. Notes biologiques et conséquences taxonomiques (Anisoptera: Libellulidae)

Les larves de Macrothemis pumila Karsch, 1889 et de Brechmorhoga praedatrix Calvert, 1909 sont décrites et illustrées pour la première fois. La larve de M. pumila est très différente des autres larves connues du genre et nombre de ses caractères échappent à la diagnose générique telle qu’énoncée par Ramirez & Novelo-Gutiérrez (1999). Son statut au sein du genre est discuté. La larve de B. praedatrix se distingue des autres larves connues du genre, entre autres par des épines dorsales très prononcées et aiguës sur les segments abdominaux 2 à 9. Elle semble inféodée à une plante des sauts, Mourera fluviatil is Aublet, 1775.     

Carabid beetle assemblages on urban derelict sites in Birmingham, UK

Brownfield sites are thought to support a minimum of 12–15% of Britain's nationally scarce and rare invertebrates. The amount of derelict land in Britain is set to decrease dramatically under current home-building and regeneration policies. There is therefore a pressing need for research into the potential importance of brownfield sites for invertebrates. In this study we sampled the carabid fauna of 26 sites, with ages varying between 2–20 years since their formation, to assess whether vegetation succession was an important determinant of invertebrate diversity the West Midlands of England. The work was carried out over the course of one growing season (in 1999), with concurrent surveys of the soil characteristics, vegetation type and land-use history. 63 carabid species were found including 2 nationally scarce species. The most species rich assemblages are found on early successional sites, which persist for 6 years on graded sites and up to 20 years on compacted substrates.     

Determining numbers of active carabid beetles per unit area from pitfall-trap data

Movement of Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) was studied in the laboratory, and a simulation model developed. The model was calibrated and validated using mark-release-recapture within a grid of pitfall traps in a commercial raspberry field. Rate of movement increased linearly with both temperature and starvation. The temperature threshold for movement, pooling all starvation levels was 3.8 °C ± 0.78 (s.e.). When beetles were released at various distances from a trap in the simulation model, the probability of capture during one day was about 0.13 at a release distance of 10 cm and fell rapidly with distance and temperature. At 5, 10, 15, and 20 °C, the maximum radius sampled by a trap in one day was about 8, 17, 24, and 29 m, respectively. Density was linearly related to catch, but the slope of the line and the variance of the density estimate increased rapidly at lower temperatures. Equations for determining density per m² (±s.d.) were developed from the model, incorporating temperature, number of beetles caught per trap, and number of traps.     

三江平原不同土地利用生境步甲多样性

2007年6—9月,对三江平原地区6种不同土地利用生境下步甲群落结构进行调查,共采集步甲标本34种871号,其中淡足青步甲、暗青步甲和圆角梨须步甲分别占总数的19.4%、19.3%和13.2%,共同构成本研究区的优势类群。通过对物种丰富度、多样性指数、均匀度指数等多样性指标进行分析,丰富度在杨树林最高,白桦-蒙古栎林最低;多样性指数和均匀度指数在大豆田最高,杨树林最低。土地利用方式对步甲数量有显著影响(F=2.987,P<0.05),杨树林步甲数量最多,松树林最少;采样时间对步甲数量显著影响(F=8.172,P<0.05),9月步甲数量最多,7月最少。但土地利用方式和采样时间对步甲丰富度,多样性,均匀度没有显著影响。     

Recent records of steppe species in Belarus,first indications of a steppe species invasion?

BELARUS IS SITUATED AT A CROSSROAD OF NATURAL BORDERS OF SPECIES DISTRIBUTIONS: the NE part is situated in a taiga zone, whereas the other part of terrain is in the European forest zone. The distance of Belarus to the steppe zone is about 330 kilometers. This geographical position and the extensive knowledge of its fauna can be used to monitor changes in the distribution of different species. An intensive study of open habitat ground beetles was carried out from 1975-2008 in Belarus, using pitfall traps, quadrate-sampling methods, hand collecting, netting and light traps. In total, more than 130 000 specimens of ground beetles belonging to 169 species were collected from 62 fields and 11 meadows of different types. 217 specimens of Calosoma investigator (Illiger 1798), 2 specimens of Calosoma denticolle (Gebler 1833), and one specimen of Harpalus subcylindricus (Dejean, 1829), Harpalus honestus (Duftschmid 1812) and Zabrus tenebrioides (Goeze 1777) were present in this material. All specimens were macropterous and exclusively caught at fields and waste grounds on sandy soil. Nowadays Belarus is the northernmost location for these species in Eastern Europe. Steppe species most probably migrated to SE Belarus from NE Ukraine, using Dnieper and its river valleys. The shift in the geographic distribution of steppe species during the last thirty years in Belarus have been attributed to a higher frequency of warmer and wetter summers in the last few decades.     

Model of succession in degraded areas based on carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

Degraded areas constitute challenging tasks with respect to sustainable management of natural resources. Maintaining or even establishing certain successional stages seems to be particularly important. This paper presents a model of the succession in five different types of degraded areas in Poland based on changes in the carabid fauna. Mean Individual Biomass of Carabidae (MIB) was used as a numerical measure for the stage of succession. The run of succession differed clearly among the different types of degraded areas. Initial conditions (origin of soil and origin of vegetation) and landscape related aspects seem to be important with respect to these differences. As characteristic phases, a 'delay phase', an 'increase phase' and a 'stagnation phase' were identified. In general, the runs of succession could be described by four different parameters: (1) 'Initial degradation level', (2) 'delay', (3) 'increase rate' and (4) 'recovery level'. Applying the analytic solution of the logistic equation, characteristic values for the parameters were identified for each of the five area types. The model is of practical use, because it provides a possibility to compare the values of the parameters elaborated in different areas, to give hints for intervention and to provide prognoses about future succession in the areas. Furthermore, it is possible to transfer the model to other indicators of succession.