Habitat and humidity preferences of ground-beetle community (Coleoptera, Carabidae) on Belasica Mt.

Ecological traits of ground-beetle

Abstract

This paper presents functional traits - habitat and humidity preferences of ground-beetles along altitudinal gradient on Belasica Mt, thus contributing in the knowledge of the ground-beetle responses to environmental changes.

The research was carried on Belasica Mt. in the period April-November 2010, by using pitfall traps.

Four categories of ground-beetles were recorded according to the habitat preferences: forest generalists, forest specialists, eurytopic species and open-area species, as well as five categories of ground-beetles according to the humidity preferences: xerophiles, mesoxerophiles, mesophiles, mesohygrophiles and hygrophiles.

Forest generalists as well as mesohygrophiles dominated throughout the entire gradient. Higher abundance of forest generalists and specialists, relatively low share of eurytopic forms and the absence of open space individuals indicate existence of well-preserved oak forest habitats in the lower altitudinal belt of Belasica Mt. In contrast, the absence of forest specialists in montane beech forests is a clear indicator of forest degradation.