Comparative analysis of structural characteristics of ground beetles community (Carabidae: Coleoptera) along an urban-rural gradient in Skopje city and its surrounding

Abstract

Comparative analyzes of structural characteristics of ground beetles in three different localities (urban - U, suburban - S and rural - R) along the urban-rural gradient in Skopje city and its surrounding was followed. The material was collected monthly, during one year period (07.2004 – 07.2005) by pitfall trapping along transect. In total, 61 species, and 28 genera were registered. In total 3.03 ind.·trap-1 were registered, in R - 3.42 ind.·trap-1, in S – 2.54 ind.·trap-1 and in U - 3.13 ind.·trap-1. Dominant species were Calathus melanocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758), Calathus cinctus (Motschulsky, 1850), Harpalus serripes (Quensel, 1806) and Amara aenea (De Geer, 1774). Structural features of ground beetles (Carabidae: Coleoptera) has been done trough examination of structural characteristics such as Index of richness – d; Index of diversity – H’; Index of homogeneity – J(e); Index of dominance - DI and Index of similarity - s, comparatively in three different localities. There were similar oscillations of d and H’ which had highest values during early summer period and lowest during February. Values of H’ and J(e) were almost identical and positively correlated. DI was negatively correlated to the other indexes. Highest values were registered during February in R and May in S, while lowest during July in S. Index of similarity (s) was highest between urban and rural locality (66.67%) in winter period.