Diversity in the Herpetobiont Ground Beetle Assemblage (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in the Val Grande National Park, Italy

• Published in: Forests 2024-10, Vol.15 (10), p.1779
• Main Authors: Busato, Enrico, Gallizia, Serena, Angeli, Matteo, D’Amico, Michele E., Ferracini, Chiara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Beetles; Biodiversity; Biological diversity; Brachypterism; Carabidae; Carabus; Ecology; Ferns; Grasslands; Habitats; Hardwoods; Insects; National parks; National parks and reserves; Population decline; Species composition; Vegetation; Wildlife conservation
• ISSN: 1999-4907; 1999-4907
• DOI: 10.3390/f15101779

We evaluated the richness, diversity, and assemblage of Carabidae in the Val Grande National Park. Monitoring, by pitfall-trapping, was performed in 2021–2022 in two sites (S1 and S2), and considering six vegetation habitats (“Terraced ferns”, “Terraced grassland”, “Wood”, “Chestnut grove”, “Ecotone”, and “Grassland”). A total of 2707 carabids consisting of 34 species were collected. The assemblage displayed the dominance of Calathus fuscipes graecus (27%), followed by Carabus glabratus latior (15%), and Carabus problematicus problematicus (15%). Besides the species already known for the Park, seven further species have been recorded. While in S1 the carabid assemblage was unexpectedly poor, a rich biodiversity with an excellent balance among the numerous brachypterous, macropterous, and pteropolymorphous species was recorded in S2. The species recorded in the habitat “Terraced ferns” and in “Ecotone” constituted the dominant groups and they accounted for 51% and 41%, in S1 and S2, respectively. The awareness of the species composition, richness, and ecology can be a useful tool for the Park to address the management of the surfaces in order to avoid disturbing the carabid fauna, especially for carabids of conservation concern, to mitigate their potential decline.