Carabidae

Although ecological succession is one of the principal focuses of recent restoration ecology research, it is still unclear which factors drive this process and positively influence species richness and functional diversity. In this study we sought to elucidate how species traits and functional diversity change during forest succession, and to identify important factors that determine the species in the observed assemblages. We analyzed species richness and functional diversity of ground beetle assemblages in relation to succession on post-industrial localities after habitat deterioration caused by spoil de-position. We selected ground beetles as they are known to be sensitive to landscape changes (with a large range of responses), and their taxonomy and ecology are generally well-known. Ground beetles were sampled on the spoil heaps during the last 30 years when spontaneous succession occurred. To calculate functional diversity, we used traits related to habitat and trophic niche, i.e. food specialization, wing morphology , trophic level, and bio-indication value. Ground beetle species were found to be distributed non-randomly in the assemblages in the late phase of succession. Ordination analyses revealed that the ground beetle assemblage was significantly associated with the proportion of forested area. Environmental heterogeneity generated assemblages that contained over-dispersed species traits. Our findings indicated that environmental conditions at late successional stages supported less mobile carnivorous species. Overall, we conclude that the decline in species richness and functional diversity in the middle of the studied succession gradient indicated that the assemblages of open habitats had been replaced by species typical of forest ecosystems.

This review considers factors affecting the flight capacity of carabid beetles and the implications of flight for carabids. Studies from the Dutch polders in particular show that young populations of carabids consist predominantly of macropterous species and macropterous individuals of wing-dimorphic species. Also populations of wing-dimorphic carabid species at the periphery of their geographical range contain high proportions of macropterous individuals. However, studies from Baltic archipelagos show that older populations of even highly isolated island habitats contain considerable proportions of brachypterous species and individuals. This suggests that macroptery is primarily an adaptation for dispersal and that there exists a mechanism for subsequently reducing the ratio of macropterous to brachypterous species under stable conditions, due to the competitive advantage
of brachyptery. Populations in isolated habitats, such as islands and mountains, have high proportions of brachypterous species. Many macropterous species do not possess functional flight muscles. Species of unstable habitats, such as tree canopies and wet habitats, are mostly macropterous. Brachypterous species tend to disappear from disturbed habitats. There is uncertainty regarding the extent to which carabid dispersal is directed and how much passive. Both Den Boer and Lindroth recognized that mostly macropterous individuals of macropterous and wing-dimorphic species disperse and found new populations, after which brachyptery tends to rapidly appear and proliferate in the newly founded population. It is most likely that the allele for brachyptery would
arrive via the dispersal of gravid females which had mated with brachypterous males prior to emigration. Whilst many studies consider wing morphology traits of carabid beetles to be species-specific and permanent, a number of studies have shown that the oogenesis flight syndrome, whereby females undertake migration and subsequently lose their flight muscles by histolysis before eventually regenerating them after reproducing, has been reported for a growing number of carabid species. Wing morphology of carabid beetles clearly offers strong potential for the study of population dynamics. This field of study flourished during the 1940’s to the late 1980’s. Whilst a considerable amount of valuable research has been performed and published, the topic clearly holds considerable potential for future study.

The Carabids were pitfall-trapped in Madrid in 43 sites in the city interior and in its surroundings from late June to early
August 1986. Altogether 78 species were recorded. They represented 6.7% of the Carabid fauna of the Iberian Peninsula. The
communities consisted exclusively of small or medium sized species. There was not recorded any species of the genus Carabus in
the city interior in spite of the fact that there exist very extensive areas of seminatural vegetation like the Casa de Campo park.
However, their absence in the material from such places could result just from the fact that the sampling took place in the warmest
and driest part of the year. Unlike cities in other areas, the Carabid communities of Madrid consisted of a considerable portion of
West Mediterranean species or even of the Iberian endemics like Calathus granatensis. In contrast, in the city interior, especially in
watered grassy plots, an obvious convergence to the fauna of Central European cities and, at a more general level, even to the East
Asian cities was observed. The species of larger distributional areas prevailed there. The communities in the seminatural habitats
showed very low diversity indices, similarly as in the analogous habitats in Central Europe. In seminatural habitats a considerable
portion of highly specialized granivorous species of the genera Ditomus, Carterus and Acinopus was recorded.

The western Palaearctic species of the Pterostichus nigrita species complex are revised. Four species, P. nigrita (Paykull), P. rhaeticus Heer, P. fuscicornis (Reiche & Saulcy) and P. carri sp. n. (from the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco) are recognised, as well as P. nigrita pontonigrita subsp. n. (from Anatolia). P. pseudorhaeticus Solodovnikov is placed as a synonym of P. rhaeticus. All are recognised by the form of the inflated endophallus. P. nigrita nigrita is widely distributed in Europe apart from the Iberian Peninsula, and across Siberia to the Primorye and Kamchatka. It also occurs in the mountains of Kyrgistan, Kazakhstan
and Uzbekistan. P. n. pontonigrita is known only from Anatolia. P. rhaeticus is known from northern and central Europe and extends over Siberia and northern Kazakhstan to the Amur region. P. fuscicornis is known from northern Israel, Syria,
Lebanon, extreme eastern Anatolia, the Transcaucasus and Iran as well as the eastern Tian Shan in Sinkiang, China. P. carri is widely distributed in the Iberian Peninsula, and also occurs in Morocco. Variation in the chaetotaxy of the endophallus is
discussed and damage to the bursa copulatrix of females caused the by endophallic chaetae is noted. Karyotypes, with localisation of rDNA by FISH hybridisation, are given for P. nigrita, P. rhaeticus and P. carri. The NOR-bearing autosome of P.
carri is clearly different from those of P. nigrita and P. rhaeticus, but all three species may have blocks of rDNA included in the heterochromatin of the Bchromosomes. The chromosomes of P. fuscicornis and P. nigrita pontonigrita are unknown.

The author describes a new individual form of Carabus (Chrysocarabus) auronitens ssp. auronitens and gives some particularities about the polychromatic character of the species as well as the habitat. Samenvatting. De auteur beschrijft een nieuwe individuele form van Carabus (Chrysocarabus) auronitens ssp. auronitens en geeft informatie over het polychromatisme bij deze soort en over het habitat. Résumé. L'auteur décrit une nouvelle forme individuelle de Carabus (Chrysocarabus) auronitens ssp. auronitens, et donne quelques particularités concernant la polychromatisme chez l'espèce ainsi que des informations sur le biotope.

The 19 species of Coleoptera Carabidae that are known from the Volcán Chiles and surrounding area (Ecuador, province Carchi) are reviewed taxonomically. A key is provided for identification of genera and species. One species is described as new in the genus Oxytrechus Jeannel and seven more in the genus Dyscolus Dejean. The available biogeographic and ecological data are then summarized and discussed. The sixteen species that are restricted to páramo habitats are flightless nocturnal predators. Specific diversity is the highest at medium elevations (3800-4100 m), though more information would be needed to reconstruct the altitudinal distribution of every species. The composition of this Carabid community suggests that the microclimate of the Chiles area is among the wetest in Ecuadorian páramos. None of the seventeen flightless species found on the Chiles has been recorded from other páramos at the south of the Mira river. These distributional data point to the Mira xeric depression, south of Carchi, as a major biogeographic barreer in the Northern Andes.

We present here new faunistic records of 212 rare or little known species of the family Carabidae from the Czech Republic, obtained from 15 private collections. Notes on the biology and habitats of most of the species are included. The following records are of particular interest: Lebia (Lebia) humeralis Dejean, 1825 (confirmation of recent presence in Moravia and the Czech Republic), Harpalus (Harpalus) servus (Duftschmid, 1812) and Limodromus longiventris (Mannerheim, 1825) (confirmation of recent presence in Bohemia). Other significant findings for Bohemia include: Elaphrus (Elaphroterus) ullrichii W. Redtenbacher, 1842 and Sphodrus leucophthalmus (Linnaeus, 1758) (most recent known occurrence). Significant records for Moravia are: Acupalpus (Acupalpus) suturalis (Dejean, 1829); Asaphidion austriacum Schweiger, 1975; Ophonus (Metophonus) parallelus (Dejean, 1829) and Pogonus (Pogonus) luridipennis (Germar, 1822).

The article is the review of the fauna and distribution of the species of genus Omophron Latr. (Coleoptera: Carabidae) found in the Palearctic. It presents the list of the species, in which every species of the genus Omophron Latr. found in the Palearctic is given a general description, the information on the distribution of the species is provided, the data concerning
the material processed and the most significant bibliography sources are indicated. In total there are 19 species indicated for the Palearctic in the article. Three species (O. brettinghamae
Pasc., O. interruptum Chaud., O. testudo Andr.) are indicated for the Palearctic for the first time.

This book deals with the taxonomy, ecology, biodiversity and biogeography of the Carabid beetles that live in the paramo of Ecuadorian Andes. Paramo is a mountain ecosystem formed by large areas of tussock grasses, cushion plants and sclerophylous shrubs, above the present timber line (3400-3600 m) and up to the snow line. 204 species are reviewed and arranged in 16 genera and 8 tribes (Migadopini, Bembidiini, Trechini, Platyinini, Pterostichini, Dercylini, Harpalini and Lebiini). The nomenclatural changes include one new subtribe, one new subgenus, 57 new species, 5 new subspecies and 5 new synonymies. Identification keys are provided for the genera, the species groups and all the species. Full-body habitus figures are given for 103 species, partial habitus figures for 54 species, and macrophotographs for 24 species in three color plates, along with 87 location maps. Biotopes are illustrated by 22 color photographs. A detailed set of faunistic and ecological data is provided for 44 mountain areas throughout Ecuador , with lists of species and informations about their abundance, habitat preference and altitudinal range. Carabid assemblages demonstrate the importance of the lower superpáramo (4100-4400 m) as a zone of relatively high biodiversity and contribute to the current debate about the origin of grass paramo ("pajonal") in equatorial Andes . Regarding conservation issues, the composition of Carabid communities provides precise evidence for an estimation of the degree of perturbation of grassland habitats, or for identification of diversity hotspots within the paramo ecosystem. Most of the paramo Carabids are micropterous endemic species, restricted to very small montane areas. Based on their distribution patterns, five areas of endemism are distinguished: the Carchi area, the Pichincha-Chimborazo area, the Cajas area, the Saraguro area and the Loja area. These results are congruent with phytogeographic data. Hypotheses are built about the origin of this fauna and a comparison is made with other high altitude grassland Carabid faunas.

Duvalius genus
(Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae)
cave dwelling beetles
"Les Duvalius et leur complexe évolutif"
espèces françaises, italiennes & parasites
Les comptes-rendus du Laboratoire d'entomologie Faune hypogée et endogée
ISSN 1269-9152. Publisher, Éd. du L.E.F.H.E., 1997

Bombardier beetles, which belongs to Subfamily Brachininae of Family Carabidae, are known thus due to their peculiar explosive self defence mechanism by which they propel out very hot (~100 o C) defensive gland secretion that keep the predators at bay. Brachininae of India is composed of 5 genera belonging to two tribes-Brachinini and Crepidogastrini. Bombardier beetle diversity of India known to us is very negligible compared to the world diversity i.e. just 65 species known from India compared to the 655 species known worldwide. Its place among the predatory guild combined with the highly specialised defence mechanism makes it a natural biocontrol agent of agricultural pests. Thus the less known taxonomy, habitat preference and defence mechanism of bombardier beetles of India is discussed along with notes on its use as natural bio-control agents.

Morphological features of three common European olfactory hunting carabid beetles, Carabus coriaceus mediterraneus Born, 1906, Carabus lefebvrei Dejean, 1826 and Carabus preslii neumeyeri Schaum, 1856, were compared. According to eye measurements, the three species are nocturnal and/or twilight hunters. They differ, however, in relative length of the antennae, relative surface area of the compound eyes, density of ommatidia and relative head width. These differences can be correlated with the species-specific habitat demands (light intensity, open land or shaded places). In particular, the greater lateral eye protrusion in C. lefebvrei corresponds to its tree-climbing habits, while the larger relative eye surface area and ommatidia density in C. coriaceus correspond to its choice of open habitats.Sono state investigate le caratteristiche morfometriche e dei componenti degli occhi di tre specie di coleotteri carabidi predatori olfattivi, Carabus coriaceus mediterraneus Born (1906), C. lefebvrei Dejean (1826) e C. presliineumeyeri Schaum (1856). Le differenze dei parametri considerati, nelle tre specie in esame, sono riconducibili con le diverse caratteristiche dei diversi habitat sfruttati. In particolare, sono state riscontrate differenze nella protrusione laterale degli occhi, che è maggiore in C. lefebvrei, probabilmente perchéè l'unica delle tre specie che si arrampica sugli alberi, e nell'area delle cornee e numero di ommatidi, maggiore in C. coriaceus, specie che predilige habitat aperti.

In this thesis I use carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and vascular plants to investigate the ecological effects of urbanization on forested and dry meadow habitats in the city of Helsinki, Finland. I also investigate factors that affect species
diversity and the occurrence of rare and sensitive species in particular, in order to draft recommendations for habitat management for the enhancement of urban biodiversity. Urbanization gradient analyses are conducted using multivariate ordination analyses to elucidate assemblage level responses, ANOVA is applied to determine the assemblage level response of spruce forest carabid assemblages and GLMM is used to model individual species responses. The results suggest that, in contrast to Gray’s suggestion, Preston’s log-normal does not accurately describe the species distributions of carabid beetles in the studied habitats but rather they follow the predictions of Fisher’s log series and Hubbell’s unified neutral theory. I conclude that fragmentation, isolation and homogenization are the main problems regarding maintenance of urban biodiversity, and that biodiversity strategies should focus on the conservation of stenotopic species. In particular, habitats and ecologically important microhabitat conditions should be retained in as large and contiguous a form as possible. For instance, spruce forest habitats need to be managed to maintain shady, cool and moist conditions and dry meadows should be mown late in the season and the cut vegetation removed. Additionally, supplementation of habitat
networks should be implemented, by habitat restoration and habitat creation, such as the construction of dry meadows on landfills and noise abatement banks.

Carabus (Oreocarabus) guadarramus La Ferté–Sénectère, 1847 (Coleoptera, Carabidae): first instar larva and reflections on its biology and chorology.— We provide information for the first time on the larval morphology of Carabus (Oreocarabus) guadarramus La Ferté–Sénectère, 1847, a species endemic to the Iberian peninsula. A detailed iconography is also provided. Three main diagnostic features are given which are particularly relevant to the goal of providing a useful and practical tool to help ifferentiate between the first instar larvae of this species and the related Carabus (Oreocarabus) ghilianii La Ferté–Sénectère, 1847, which lives in syntopy with C. guadarramus. Detailed maps with 10 x 10 km UTM of the geographic distribution of both species are provided in order to highlight their different chorology. Some of the possible environmental causes that might affect its current distribution are discussed.

Current work represents study of invertebrate diversity in the Caucasus ecoregion and development of online biodiversity database. Main study groups were: Ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae), Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) and spiders (Araneae).

Georgian biodiversity database
As a result of intensive biodiversity research it became essential to accumulate existing information and increasing it’s accessability to reserachers globally. In last two decades several national and international biodiversity databases were created. In this chapter I show development of Georgian biodiversity database (www.biodiversity-georgia.net). Statistics about visitors and their interests are provided.

Climate-based model of spatial pattern of the species richness of ants in Georgia

A spatial pattern of the species richness of ants in Georgia (Caucasus) was modeled, areas with the highest number of ant’s species were inferred, and climatic factors that influence the pattern of ant diversity were identified. A database was created by accumulating occurrences for 63 ant species, including 256 localities and 2,018 species/occurrences. Species richness was positively correlated with variables associated with temperature and negatively correlated with variables associated with precipitation. Species richness reaches a maximum at the elevations 800–1,200 m a.s.l. and declines at both lower and higher altitudes. The role of climatic variables
and geography of the study area in determining the observed pattern of species richness is discussed.

A spider diversity model for the Caucasus Ecoregion

Using occurrence data from a large database we calculated species distribution models with the GARP algorithm for 471 spider species to visualize the diversity distribution of spider species in this region. Overall species diversity was highest in mountain forests of the North Caucasus, east-central Georgia, the southern slopes of the eastern Great Caucasus and south-east Azerbaijan. A regression tree analysis Chi squared automatic interaction detector method revealed the mean temperature of the driest quarter and precipitation parameters to be the main
environmental factors shaping these patterns. Diversity of endemic species was correlated with overall species diversity but hotspots of endemic species (10? percent of all species) exists in high-mountain areas, suggesting postglacial speciation events in the high mountains as the main sources of high endemism in Caucasus. Further information on the spatial distribution of species diversity of invertebrate taxa in the Caucasus Ecoregion is needed to improve conservation efforts in this biodiversity hotspot.

Microrefugium of Pterostichus anthracinus

Organism can exist and produce offspring only in certain climatic conditions. Sometimes viable population can be found outside such conditions, which is due to local microclimatic conditions. Study of microrefugia is important to understand current special distribution of biodiversity and for planning future conservation activity. In this chapter I describe man-made microrefugium of P. anthracinus.

Body size and proportion variation of Carabus armeniacus by elevation gradient

Body size of insects are affected by elevation, however different species respond differently, some of them increase in body size with elevation, some decrease and some of them are not affected at all. Ground beetle Carabus armeniacus is representative of subgenus Spodristocarabus, which is endemic to Caucasus. Species of Spodristocarabus are one of most abundant beetle species in Caucasian mountains and subalpine meadows. Aim of research was to estimate influence of elevation on body size and proportions of Carabus armeniacus. Both
gender body size decreased by increase of elevation, however this is statistically significant only for males (coefficient of correlation -0.349 , P <0.05).

Noterus crassicornis (O. F. Muller, 1776) - new species for Georgian fauna (Coleoptera,Noteridae)

Family Noteridae is represented by two genus, from which only Noterus Clairville, 1806 is distributed in Georgia. Only one species Noterus clavicornis was known from Georgia. In 2009 In Kolkheti National park I registered specimens of new species for Georgian fauna - N.Crassicornis; Beetles were collected in River Tikori and adjacent artificial ditches. Identification marks are given for both species.

The western Palaearctic species of the Pterostichus nigrita (Paykull) complex, with the description of a new species from Spain and a new subspecies of P. nigrita from Anatolia (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

The western Palaearctic species of the Pterostichus nigrita species complex are revised. Four species, P. nigrita (Paykull), P. rhaeticus Heer, P. Fuscicornis (Reiche & Saulcy) and P. carri sp. n. (from the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco) are recognized, as well as P. nigrita pontonigrita subsp. n. (from Anatolia).

The Carabids were pitfall trapped and individually collected in Pyongyang in 8 sites along the urbanization gradient from
city margin to its centre in September – November 1986 and June – July 1990. Altogether 51 species were recorded, representing
14.7% of the species known to occur in Korea. The communities consisted exclusively of middle and small species (up to 20 mm).
There was not found any species of the genus Carabus. Absence of non-flying species probably also results from very intensive
agricultural exploitation of Pyongyang surrounding. Most species belonged to the genera Amara and Harpalus, characteristic also in
Korean conditions for fields and orchards. The humid climate was reflected by the occurrence of several species of the genus
Chlaenius even in the very city centre. Urbanisation gradient was manifested by decline on number of species, individuals and
diversity index and by increase in relative representation of Transpalaearctic species Dolichus halensis, Pseudoophonus tardus and
Ansisodactylus signatus. There can be defined some pairs or groups of vicariant species taking the same position in the (peri)urban
ecosystems in East Asia and Europe: Platynus magnus x Platynus assimilis, Nebria coreica x Nebria brecollis. Pseudoophonus
sinicus + P. simplicidens + P. coreanus + P. jureceki x P. calceatus, Curtonotus nitens x Curtonotus aulicus. Generally, the rules of
forming the carabid communities in urban conditions in both parts of Palaearctis are very similar.

Golf is a popular sport, with increasingly large areas of urban and peri-urban land being designated for golf course development.
Yet, more than half of the land area of a typical golf course is considered rough and out-of-play areas that can, if managed
appropriately, provide habitats for wildlife. Using pitfall traps, 6944 carabid beetles belonging to 72 species were collected from five
urban golf courses and three areas designated for golf course development around the city of Helsinki, Finland in 2007. The courses
were rich in carabid species and distinct in their species assemblages. Golf courses were dominated by habitat generalists, species
capable of flight and medium to large-sized species. The three courses with areas designated for further golf course development
showed that the assemblages of beetles associated with these golf courses have retained many elements from the pre-existing
habitats. The oldest golf course is characterised by a more evenly distributed and diverse carabid beetle assemblage, probably due to
its higher habitat heterogeneity and longer successional development. However, even this golf course is dominated by generalist species,
implying that golf courses may not provide suitable habitats for specialists. It is assumed that the high species richness of golf
courses is attributed to the high habitat diversity of these environments, ranging from the strongly human-modified to more natural patches, which provide habitats for many generalist and open-habitat species. Golf courses may, however, with the appropriate management of out-of-play areas provide an opportunity for conserving biodiversity.

The author describes a new individual form of Carabus (Hemicarabus) nitens ssp. nitens Linnaeus, 1758 and some particularities about the nominate species and the habitat. Samenvatting. De auteur beschrijft een nieuwe individuele vorm van Carabus (Hemicarabus) nitens ssp. nitens Linnaeus, 1758 en vermeldt enkele bijzonderheden over de nominale soort en de habitat. Résumé. L'auteur décrit une nouvelle forme individuelle de Carabus (Hemicarabus) nitens ssp. nitens Linnaeus, 1758, ainsi que quelques particularités concernant l'espèce nominative et l'habitat.

During a three-year period, we obtained a material of 57.128 epigeic
invertebrates in six study sites in the Nature Reserve Žitavský luh. They
belonged to 30 taxonomic groups, predominantly of ants, springtails, beetles,
mites and spiders. The beetles were represented by 24 families,
predominantly by Carabids and Staphylinids. The dominant representation of
these invertebrate groups resulted from suitability of pitfall trapping for their
collecting. Other invertebrates occurred in the material only occasionally.
The invertebrates exhibited a strong spatial differentiation in
dependence on varying environmental conditions. The ants predominated
especially in the northern part of the nature reserve. The cumulative
abundance of most dominant groups of invertebrates was mostly negatively
correlated.
The Carabids were represented in the whole material by 1.315
individuals belonging to 51 species. The most abundant species were
Harpalus punctatulus, Carabus scheidleri, Pseudoophonus rufipes and
Pterostichus angustatus. Only Pseudoophonus rufipes occurred in all sites
during the whole investigation period. Occurrence of other species strongly
varied temporary and spatially.
The Carabid communities showed a much lower species numbers and
cumulative abundance than in analogical, more natural localities. The open
landscape and arable land species highly predominated in the communities,
while the characteristic species of floodplain ecosystems was strongly
suppressed.
68
Within the nature reserve, the communities from the drier northern
part clearly differed from those from the more humid southern part, where
a special case was represented by the community from a strip of floodplain
forests with a high dominance of the mesohydrophilous forests species
Carabus ullrichi and two mesohydrophilous forest species with moderately
increased demand for humidity (Carabus scheidleri and Carabus violaceus).
The species in the floodplain forests positively influenced the communities in
the adjacent sites by emigration of large non-flying species.
Since investigation beginning, number of species and individuals of
Carabids. In quantitative representation of individual species considerable,
even very sudden changes appeared. Especially striking was, in 2004, a
decline of Harpalus punctulatus in sites in the reserve northern part, invasion
of Pterostichus angustatus in the wet meadow in the site F and a strong
increase of abundance of Carabus scheidleri in the floodplain forests strip in
2005. These changes resulted from the colder and more humid years 2004
and 2005, but also from life strategy of most species typical of floodplain or
field ecosystems.
The Carabid community composition in all sites hade, in spite of the
observed spatial and temporal differences, an enhanced ecotonal character,
which strongly declined from the expected natural or at least seminatural
state.
The changes in the community in the floodplain forest strip resulted
from competition of species with similar body size and trophic relations, but
also from influence of climate becoming colder and more humid during the
investigation period.
In spite of the above fact, remnants of population of some Carabid
species being characteristic of floodplains survive in the reserve. Therefore
the reserve still represents a functioning biocenter of alluvial invertebrate
fauna in the agriculturally intensively exploited landscape, with a minimum
portion of forest vegetation of more preserved floodplain ecosystems. From
this point of view, the reserve significance for other groups of plants and
animals is probably much greater than for Carabids.
Maintaining or improvement of the existing state of Carabid
communities in the reserves represents a question of considering priorities of
protection of individual components of the reserve, possible modifications of
its management, as well as of the real technical and juridical preconditions to
restore the state of the Žitava river floodplain from 1980-ies, before its
regulation.

Carabid communities in reed stands were studied in six localities in southwestern Slovakia lowlands. Choice of the
localities reflected different conditions, almost natural and anthropogenically influenced, in which these vegetation formation
survives in this area. The communities split into two principal groups. One, in the frequently flooded stands, showed a high species
diversity (about 40 species) and absolute, quantitative and qualitative predominance of characteristic hydrophilous species. The
second, in rarely flooded stands with reduced area, was able to maintain occurrence of the characteristic species, but the community
was influenced by species penetrating from adjacent ecosystems. All communities showed a considerable instability of composition,
number of species and individuals. It resulted from long lasting flooding of some sites as well as from a fast, but to certain degree
unpredictable re-colonization by Carabids. This instability reflects the cyclical (catastrophic) climax character of reed stand, but is to
be carefully taken in account at ecosozological assessment and evaluation of pilot monitoring studies. A characteristic feature of
communities of the second group was presence of huge numbers of larval and adult Silpha obscura representing a strong food
competition and predatory pressure, as well as an intensive interference with adjacent agroecosystems.

Ground beetle abundance and community characteristics were compared in tomato systems under conventional and organic management. Beetles were sampled with pitfall traps over a 10-month period during 1997, in plots that had been under consistent management at the University of California at Davis since 1988. Abundance and species richness were greater in the organic system compared to the conventional system. Six of the 17 species collected were found only in organically-managed plots. However, no differences in species diversity or evenness according to the Shannon and Simpson indices were found. These results were found to be consistent with those of most other studies on ground beetle communities in conventional and organic annual cropping systems .

This paper reports the first record of Carabus granulatus L. from Moosonee, Ontario. The record extends the range of the species northward in Ontario by approximately 200 km. Carabus granulatus was first introduced into North America in 1890 from Europe. The historic area of C. granulatus in North America was plotted against year. The square root of area occupied by C. granulatus was linear over time (R 2 = 0.96, a type 1 expansion curve) a pattern associated with expansion driven by neighbourhood diffusion.

In this paper a new species of fossil ground-beetle, Coptodera elektra n. sp. (Coleoptera: Carabidae) preserved in a piece of Baltic amber (Eocene) is described and the paleobiology of the species is studied. This new species represents the first known fossil record for the genus, as well as the first record of its presence in Europe.

This study investigated how crop type and crop succession influence the distribution and the dynamics of abundance of two dominant carabid beetle species (Poecilus cupreus and Brachinus sclopeta) at two critical stages of their life cycle: the spring reproductive and overwintering periods. The study was conducted over 9 years in an agricultural landscape of western France using both pitfall and emergence
traps located within and in the margins of fields of the five dominant crops in the study area. The two carabid species used crop and non-crop habitat types differently during the reproductive period and while overwintering, suggesting two different strategies of habitat use. Both species used within-field areas during the spring reproductive period. However, B. sclopeta was only active in oilseed rape while P. cupreus was also active in the other crops. Overall, data suggested a beneficial role of oilseed rape for both
species. B. sclopeta emergence from overwintering occurred predominantly in the margins of fields cropped with oilseed rape the previous year. P. cupreus used both margins and within field areas as overwintering habitats. Results suggest that inter-field movements and active selection rather than differences in survival rates may explain distribution and abundance dynamics of these two carabid species in agricultural landscapes.

Seed predation by arthropods can contribute in regulating population and community dynamics of weeds. While the role of insects, and especially ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as seed predators in crop fields is well studied, the drivers of predation stability and the relationships between species diversity and predation are less understood. The aims of the study were: 1) to unveil the direct relationships between predator community diversity and seed predation intensity and stability, and 2) to test the effects of soil disturbance (conventional vs. conservation tillage) and distance from field margin on seed predator communities and predation. Seed pre-dation was measured using seed cards, and predator communities were sampled using pitfall traps over two years. Granivorous ground beetles, ants and crickets were the most abundant seed predators in both conventional and conservation tillage fields. Abundant and diverse predator communities were beneficial to predation intensity and stability. However, in communities dominated by large predators, an increase in number of species was related to a partial suppression of seed predation. Soil disturbance per se did not influence the overall predator community composition and predation, but it modified their spatial patterns within the fields. At the margins of conventional tillage fields, predation was lower and patchier than at the margins of conservation tillage fields. However, predation increased more steeply towards the center of conventional tillage field. Our results could find applications in sustainable weed management through biological control, as well as in better understanding the role of functional diversity in regulating ecosystem services.