engleski

Carabid beetle and ant assamblages in the Western Balkans peat bog

Peat bogs in the Western Balkans are scarce, small in size, fragmented and critically endangered. Carabid beetles and ants were studied in the largest and oldest Croatian peat bog and at its edges. Altogether, 811 carabid beetles representing 37 species and 11, 450 ants representing 23 species were collected by pitfall trapping. Carabid beetle and ant assemblages showed asymmetric responses in terms of species richness and activity density, e.g. ant assemblages in the peat bog were significantly different from those at the edge, with 2 times lower species richness, while species richness did not differ for carabid beetles. Additionally, activity density of carabid beetles was significantly higher in the edge, and did not differ for ants. Assemblages of both taxa were strongly affected by specific conditions in the peat bog – high soil moisture and Sphagnum moss dominance. The edge was more favourable habitat for both taxa due to more suitable microclimatic conditions. Moreover, our findings indicate that the peat bog is colonised from its edges. Additionally, tyrphophilous carabid beetles and globally endangered, Carabus variolosus nodulosus, are associated with edge habitats in the Western Balkans peat bog. Occurrence of tyrphophilous and rare stenotopic species highlights the great conservation value of this peat bog. However, successional changes caused by the invasion of grassy and woody vegetation, in particular Molinia caerulea grass, are changing hydrological conditions of this peat bog. Here we suggest active conservation measures to preserve these unique soil invertebrate zoocoenoses.

peatlands ; Tyrphophilous ; environmental indicators ; succession

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