PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 30: Invertebrate Ecology
Thursday, August 11, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Analysis of ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages in an agricultural landscape.

KANG, BANGHUN^*,1, LEE, JOON-HO², ¹ Natioanl Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Suwon, Rep. of Korea² Seoul National University, Seoul, Rep. of Korea

ABSTRACT- This study was conducted to provide basic information for environmental monitoring and developing strategies for conservation of biological diversity in agricultural ecosystems by comparing ground beetle communities among differently stressed areas. Study sites were located in Paltan-myun, Hwaseong city, Kyunggi-do, Korea. Study sites were mainly agricultural (paddy field and upland) and forest area (site 1), industrial area (site 2), and residential area (site 3). Four habitat types (levee, upland dike, hillock, and stream ridge), which were adjacent, were selected within each site. Pitfall trap samplings were carried out 42 times from November 2000 to June 2003. A total of 6,301 ground beetles were collected and total 71 species 30 genera of beetles were identified. Among three sites, the site 2 had the least number of individuals and species. Among the same habitat types of three sites, the diversity index (H′) and evenness (E) in the hillock had the least in the all sites. That of the stream ridge was the highest in the site 2. Seasonal occurrence of ground beetle populations showed a similar pattern among sites and reached peak in September. Synuchus arcuaticollis, S. orbicollis, S nitidus, and S. cycloderus were dominant species in hillock in all sites. Bembidion was a dominant species only in stream ridge in the site 3. Number of dominant genera and species, and their proportion were different in each habitat type. The similarity was not significantly different among sites. The comparison shows that species composition, their abundance, and dominance structure of ground beetle communities were different among habitat types and sites. We discuss the roles of habitat types and strategies for the conservation of ground beetle diversity in agricultural landscape.

Key words: ground beetle, assemblage, diversity, conservation