Biodiversity Data Journal :
Taxonomic paper
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Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of rice field banks and restored habitats in an agricultural area of the Po Plain (Lombardy, Italy)
Corresponding author:
Academic editor: Lyubomir Penev
Received: 31 Jul 2013 | Accepted: 04 Nov 2013 | Published: 14 Nov 2013
© 2013 Nicola Pilon, Elisa Cardarelli, Giuseppe Bogliani
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Pilon N, Cardarelli E, Bogliani G (2013) Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of rice field banks and restored habitats in an agricultural area of the Po Plain (Lombardy, Italy). Biodiversity Data Journal 1: e972. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.1.e972
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An entomological investigation was carried out in an agricultural area, mainly rice fields, of the Po river plain, located in the municipalities of Lacchiarella (MI) and Giussago (PV) (Lombardy, Italy). In 2009 and 2010, ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) were sampled along rice field banks and in restored habitats, by means of pitfall traps. The area appeared as species-rich, compared to other anthropogenic habitats in the Po river pain. Most of the collected Carabids were species with a wide distribution in the Paleartic region, eurytopic and common in European agroecosystems. The assemblages were dominated by small-medium, macropterous species, with summer larvae. No endemic species were found. Species with southern distribution, rarely found north of the Po river, were also sampled. Amara littorea is recorded for the first time in Italy.
Carabidae, agroecosystem, rice fields, habitat restoration, Italy, Po plain
In the last decades, intensification and mechanization of agricultural practices, introduced in order to maximise productivity, led to a decrease in habitat quality and landscape heterogeneity throughout European agroecosystems. Diffusion of monoculture, increased use of chemicals (i.e. pesticides and fertilizers) and removal of non-cropped areas, like small woodlots and hedges, caused a wide-scale loss of biodiversity (
Recently, environmentally-friendly agronomic practices and creation of non-cropped habitats have been recognized as a potential solution to this dramatic decline of biodiversity and have become key aims of European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and, as a consequence, of national and regional ones (
Even if agri-environment schemes (AESs) benefit some farmland species (e.g.,
The aim of this research was to investigate the Carabid assemblages of an intensive agricultural area (mainly rice fields) subjected to environmental improvements since 1996, in particular the creation of buffer strips along paddy fields and the restoration of an area of 150 ha.
The study was carried out in an 4.5 km2 agricultural area, mainly cultivated with rice, located in north-western Italy, in the middle of the Po plain, approximately 13 km north from the city of Pavia, in the municipalities of Lacchiarella (MI) and Giussago (PV); barycentre 45°17'38.63"N, 09°08'52.08"E (Fig.
The study area included three adjacent rice farms, “La Darsena”, “La Cadenazza” and “Necchi”, and a restored area, “La Cassinazza”. The Carabid fauna was sampled in:
Ground beetles were sampled using plastic pitfall traps (62 mm in diameter and 70 mm deep) buried in the soil and filled with 50 ml of wine vinegar and a drop of detergent (
Along rice field banks, we placed a total of 60 traps from April to November 2009 and 68 traps from May to November 2010; along buffer strips, we positioned 56 traps from May to November 2009 and 2010; in the restored area, we placed 66 traps from July to November 2009 and from April to November 2010.
Carabids were identified to the species level following the nomenclature of Fauna Europaea (http://www.faunaeur.org,
A synthetic description of habitat preference, derived from
As for rice field banks and enhanced habitats, ground beetle abundances were expressed both as absolute frequency (i.e. number of collected individuals) and as annual Activity Density (aAD;
DAa = ntot / US
with US = Σ us and us = trap * (gg/10), where trap is number of traps and gg is the number of days during which the traps were active in each sampling session (Suppl. material
Specimens, dried or preserved in alcohol, are stored in the author’s collections (Nicola Pilon, Milano) and in the collection of the University of Pavia.
Turanic-European. Open habitats, thermophilous. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Medium size. Spermatophagous.
Uncommon north of the Po river. Rare in the study area (n = 2); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Turanic-European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, halophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in herbaceous restored habitats only.
European. Paludicolous, ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
European-Mediterranean. Paludicolous, ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 18).
Mediterranean. Paludicolous, halophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
European. Paludicolous, ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Common in the study area (n = 107). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Siberic-European (Holoartic). Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 8).
Siberic-European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in rice field banks only.
Siberic-European. Paludicolous, silvi-ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 2); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Siberic-European. Paludicolous, silvi-ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 8); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Paleartic (Holoartic). Open habitats, eurytopic. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 1180). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Central Asiatic-European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 2).
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 7).
Siberic-European. Open habitats, eurytopic. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 10).
European. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 4).
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Recorded with certainty for the first time in Italy (
Turanic-European. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 31).
Asiatic-European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 12); recorded in rice field banks only.
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, eurytopic. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 203).
European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, thermophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size.
Uncommon north of the Po river. Rare in the study area (n = 7).
Paleartic. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 234). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, eurytopic. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 761). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 798). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Holoartic. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 11).
Turanic-European. Paludicolous, silvi-ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in arboreal buffer strips only.
Holoartic. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 866). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Central Asiatic-European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 5); recorded in herbaceous buffer strips only.
Mediterranean. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Common in the study area (n = 1001). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Asiatic-European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 2).
S-European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 14).
Mediterranean. Open habitats, halophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 26).
European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 372).
Turanic-European. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Very small size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 2); recorded in herbaceous buffer strips only.
European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, xerophilous. Pteridimorphic, with winter larvae. Medium size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 8).
Paleartic. Open habitats, xerophilous. Pteridimorphic, with winter larvae. Small size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 177).
Central Asiatic-European. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Large size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 115).
Asiatic-European (Holoartic). Paludicolous, silvi-ripicolous. Pteridimorphic, with summer larvae. Large size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 64).
Central Asiatic-European. Paludicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size.
Common in the study area (n = 123). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Paleartic. Paludicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 4).
Paleartic. Paludicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Large size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 62). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Paleartic. Open habitats. Macropterous, with poliennal larvae. Medium size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in rice field banks only.
Turanic-European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in rice field banks only.
Asiatic-European (Holoartic). Open habitats, hygrophilous. Pteridimophic, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 28). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Turanic-European-Mediterranean. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Common in the study area (n = 161).
European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size.
Uncommon north of the Po river. Rare in the study area (n = 3).
Asiatic-European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Large size.
Rare in the study area (n = 5); recorded in herbaceous buffer strips only.
Afrotropical and Paleartic. Paludicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in arboreal buffer strips only.
Asiatic-European (Holoartic). Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 372).
S-European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 3); recorded in rice field banks only.
Paleartic. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 331). Recorded in all habitat categories.
S-European. Open habitats, thermophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Uncommon north of the Po river. Rare in the study area (n = 12).
European. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 15).
Paleartic. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 1396). Recorded in all habitat categories.
European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 80). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Turanic-European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Uncommon north of the Po river. Common in the study area (n = 61).
Paleartic. Open habitats, xerophilous. Pteridimorphic, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 2); recorded in rice field banks only.
S-European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 51).
Asiatic-European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 180). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Paleartic. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 177).
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, eurytopic. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 97).
Siberic-European. Paludicolous, silvi-ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 263); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Siberic-European. Paludicolous, silvi-ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size.
Common in the study area (n = 50); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Paleartic (Holoartic). Open habitats, eurytopic. Pteridimorphic, with summer larvae. Very small size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 49).
Siberic-European. Open habitats, eurytopic. Pteridimorphic, with summer larvae. Very small size.
Common in the study area (n = 225). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Turanic-Mediterranean. Open habitats. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 2).
Holoartic. Open habitats, eurytopic. Pteridimorphic, with summer larvae. Very small size.
Common in the study area (n = 111).
Turanic-European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Medium size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Siberic-European. Paludicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 15).
Central Asiatic-European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, xerophilous. Pteridimorphic, with winter larvae. Small size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in herbaceous buffer strips only.
Turanic-European. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Small size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 2); recorded in rice field banks only.
European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Medium size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in herbaceous restored habitats only.
European. Open habitats. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Small size. Spermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 3); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Siberic-European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in herbaceous buffer strips only.
European-Mediterranean (Holoartic). Ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Turanic-Mediterranean. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Common in the study area (n = 190). Recorded in all habitat categories.
S-European. Open habitats, thermophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Common in the study area (n = 65).
S-European. Open habitats, thermophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Uncommon north of the Po river. Rare in the study area (n = 18).
E-Mediterranean. Open habitats, thermophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Uncommon north of the Po river. Rare in the study area (n = 11).
Siberic-European. Silvi-ripicolous. Ptedirimorphic, with winter larvae. Small size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 314).
European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 28). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, eurytopic. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Dominant in the study area (n = 6127). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 1025). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Paleartic. Open habitats, eurytopic. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Medium size.
Common in the study area (n = 286). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Paleartic (Holoartic). Open habitats, eurytopic. Macropterous, with winter larvae. Medium size. Zoospermatophagous.
Dominant in the study area (n = 12 626). Recorded in all habitat categories.
W-Paleartic. Paludicolous, silvi-ripicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size.
Rare in the study area (n = 25). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Asiatic-European. Open habitats, xerophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Medium size. Predator.
Uncommon north of the Po river. Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in rice field banks only.
Holoartic. Eurytopic. Pteridimorphic, with winter larvae. Large size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 869). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Asiatic-European. Silvicolous, hygrophilous. Pteridimorphic, with winter larvae. Large size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 1292). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Paleartic. Eurytopic, hygrophilus. Pteridimorphic, with summer larvae. Medium size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 34).
Asiatic-European. Silvi-ripicolous. Pteridimorphic, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 263). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Paleartic. Eurytopic, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 160). Recorded in all habitat categories.
Afrotropical-Mediterranean. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size.
Rare in the study area (n = 4).
Paleartic. Paludicolous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 5).
Turanic-European-Mediterranean. Open habitats, hygrophilous. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Small size.
Common in the study area (n = 605). Recorded in all habitat categories.
European-Mediterranean. Eurytopic. Macropterous, with summer larvae. Very small size. Predator.
Common in the study area (n = 190).
Siberic-European. Silvicolous. Pteridimorphic, with summer larvae. Very small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 8).
Asiatic-European. Silvicolous, hygrophilous. Pteridimorphic, with winter larvae. Small size. Zoospermatophagous.
Rare in the study area (n = 1); recorded in arboreal restored habitats only.
Turanic-European-Mediterranean. Eurytopic. Pteridimorphic, with winter larvae. Very small size. Predator.
Rare in the study area (n = 7).
Overall, we collected 34,108 individuals belonging to 98 carabid species. We recorded 65 species in rice field banks, 73 species in buffer strips and 78 in restored habitats. Eight species were found only in rice field banks (Agonum sexpunctatum, Amara nitida, Cicindela campestris, Clivina collaris, Harpalus albanicus, Harpalus pumilus, Ophonus cribricollis, Pterostichus macer), 6 species only in herbaceous buffer strips (Amara littorea, Bembidion quadripustulatum, Bradycellus verbasci, Dolichus halensis, Ophonus azureus, Panagaeus cruxmajor), 2 species only in arboreal buffer strips (Badister sodalis, Drypta dentata), 2 species only in herbaceous restored habitats (Acupalpus elegans, Ophonus diffinis) and 11 species only in arboreal restored habitats (Acinopus picipes, Acupalpus flavicollis, Acupalpus notatus, Agonum versutum, Agonum viduum, Limodromus assimilis, Limodromus krynickii, Nebria brevicollis, Ophonus parallelus, Paranchus albipes, Synuchus vivalis). Poecilus cupreus and Pseudoophonus rufipes consituted about 55% of the capture with 18 753 individuals.
The collected species belonged to 17 chorotypes (Fig.
Number and percentage of carabid species for each ecological categories (chorological complexes, body size, larval and wing development) in rice field banks, buffer strips and restored habitats.
Rice field banks | Buffer strips | Restored habitats | Total | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
herbaceous | arboreal | herbaceous | arboreal | |||||||||
N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | |
Chorotype | ||||||||||||
Subcosmopolitan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.5 | 1 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.4 | 2 | 2 |
Holoartic | 54 | 83.1 | 53 | 80.3 | 33 | 86.8 | 49 | 81.7 | 58 | 84.1 | 79 | 80.6 |
European | 8 | 12.3 | 9 | 13.7 | 3 | 7.9 | 10 | 16.7 | 8 | 11.6 | 13 | 13.3 |
Mediterranean | 3 | 4.6 | 3 | 4.5 | 1 | 2.7 | 1 | 1.6 | 2 | 2.9 | 4 | 4.1 |
Size | ||||||||||||
Very small | 6 | 9.2 | 12 | 18.2 | 5 | 13.2 | 10 | 16.7 | 13 | 18.8 | 18 | 18.4 |
Small | 36 | 55.4 | 30 | 45.5 | 18 | 47.4 | 25 | 41.7 | 28 | 40.6 | 46 | 46.9 |
Medium | 20 | 30.8 | 18 | 27.2 | 12 | 31.5 | 20 | 33.3 | 23 | 33.3 | 28 | 46.9 |
Large | 3 | 4.6 | 6 | 9.1 | 3 | 7.9 | 5 | 8.3 | 5 | 7.3 | 6 | 6.1 |
Larvae | ||||||||||||
summer | 55 | 84.6 | 56 | 84.8 | 31 | 81.6 | 53 | 88.3 | 57 | 82.6 | 79 | 80.6 |
winter | 9 | 13.8 | 10 | 15.2 | 7 | 18.4 | 7 | 11.7 | 12 | 17.4 | 18 | 18.4 |
poliennal | 1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1.0 |
Wing | ||||||||||||
macropterous | 54 | 83.1 | 54 | 81.8 | 29 | 76.3 | 49 | 81.7 | 54 | 78.3 | 81 | 82.7 |
pteridimorphic | 11 | 16.9 | 12 | 18.2 | 9 | 23.7 | 11 | 18.3 | 15 | 21.7 | 17 | 17.3 |
Chorotypes of ground beetles collected in the study area during 2009 and 2010 (AFM = Afrotropical-Mediterranean, AFP = Afrotropical and Paleartic, ASE = Asiatic-European, CAE = Central Asiatic-European, CEM = Central Asiatic-European-Mediterranean, EME = E-Mediterranean, EUM = European-Mediterranean, EUR = European, MED = Mediterranean, HOL = Holoartic, PAL = Paleartic, SCO = Subcosmopolitan, SEU = S-European, SIE = Siberic-European, TEM = Turanic-European-Mediterranean, TUE = Turanic-European, TUM = Turanic-Mediterranean, WPA = W-Paleartic) (plotted after data in Table
Also rice field banks, buffer strips and restored habitats, analyzed separately, were dominated by Holoartic, medium-small, winged species, with summer larvae (Table
On the whole, 98 carabid species were collected in rice field banks, buffer strips adjacent to paddy fields, and restored habitats (herbaceous and arboreal). Species number could be slightly underestimated because of the sampling method which is not very well suited for some taxa as Lebiinae and Bembidinae. Nevertheless, the area resulted species-rich, especially when you consider that it is not placed inside a riverine corridor and when you compare the species number with that recorded in other anthropogenic habitats of the Po plain: 60-70 species in rye, oat and fallow fields (
Most of the collected carabids, both in the whole area and in each habitat categories, were species with a wide distribution in the Paleartic region, eurytopic and common in European agroecosystems. The assemblages were dominated by small-medium, macropterous species, with summer larvae; we didn’t find any endemism.
No brachypterous and strictly forest-dwelling species were sampled, despite the presence of some recent woodlots (i.e about 10 years old). In fact, species unable to disperse by flight were prevented to colonize these stands (including Abax continuus Ganglbauer 1891, very common in woods of the Lombardy plain), because of the absence of ecological corridors connecting woodlots with forest remnants (
The most interesting aspect of this Carabid coenosis is the presence of several species with southern distribution, quite common in clay soil on the right bank of the Po river, and known only in few stations north of the Po river. Among these species, we list Acinopus picipes, Amblystomus niger, Dinodes decipiens, Harpalus cupreus, Harpalus oblitus, Parophonus mendax, Parophonus planicollis, Pterostichus macer. Although a comparison with the past coenosis is not possible for the lack of similar surveys in the area, it could be hypothesized that these species are recent colonizers (7-10 years). They are not reported in the historical catalogue of
We underline also the presence of Brachinus plagiatus, an uncommon halophilous species. Moreover Amara littorea, an Asiatic-European distribution species, has been recorded with certainty for the first time in Italy (
We wish to thank Maurizio Pavesi, Sergio Facchini, Riccardo Sciaky and Fritz Hieke for their valuable help in ground beetles identification; Giuseppe Natta, Francesco Natta and Francesco Necchi, the owners of the farms where the study took place; Francesco Necchi, Irene Negri and Francesca Roversi for their help in field work. This study was part of the CORINAT project (“COltivazione delle RIsaie di elevato valore biologico e NATuralistico” – “Cultivation of rice fields of high biological and naturalistic value”), supported by Lombardy Region (Italy).
In 2009 and 2010, ground beetles (Coleoptera Carabidae) were sampled in an agricultural area of the Po plain (Lombardy, Italy), by means of pitfall traps. The dataset reported frequency (N) and annual Activity Density (AD) of collected species in: (a) rice field banks; (b) herbaceous buffer strips; (c) arboreal buffer strips; (d) herbaceous restored habitats, i.e. wet and dry meadows; (e) arboreal restored habitats, i.e. forested areas and hedges.