Биологические науки / 7. Зоология

Korolev A.V.

Oles’ Gonchar Dnepropetrovsk National University, Ukraine

The consumption of invertebrates biomass by
Pterostichus melanarius (Coleoptera, Carabidae) at various levels of the trophic network

Introduction

Carabidae – a numerous group of coleoptera which representatives meet in biotopes of the majority land zoogeographical areas [9]. Pterostichus genus which unites over 700 species of ground beetles, widespread in mountain and wood zones of Golarctic region. This genus belongs to dominant genera of Carabidae [8]. A number of works is devoted to research of ground beetles (Pterostichus) features of distribution, reproduction and feed [5, 11, 12].

Among representatives of this genus in wood and meadow ecosystems of Palearctic region prevails Pterostichus (Morphnosoma) melanarius (Illiger, 1798). It is ecologically plastic mass eurybiothic species, which prominent feature is the domination in carabidae fauna structure of anthropocenosis wood zone, including sowing of agricultural crops [4, 6, 14]. P. melanarius (Ill.) – one of dominante species of the ground beetles living in various types of the Tambov region forest belts [13]. Also this beetle is an essential component of carabidae fauna of urbanized meadow cenosis in Kemerovo town [7]. On the European Russia territory this species is numerous in biogeocenoses of southern taiga [10].

The aim of work – to reveal P. melanarius (Ill.) consumption features of invertebrates’ biomass of trophic network at various levels in the conditions of steppe Prydneprovja’s wood ecosystems.

Materials and methods of researches

During the experiment on revealing P. melanarius (Ill.) throphoconsortic communications with potential feed objects the model of a trophic network fragment with population of investigated species and population of soil and leaf-litter mesofauna dominante representatives was created in vitro. Ground beetles and other invertebrates collected with the help of Barbera traps (without a clamp), and also during manual dismantling of the forest litter and soil on the Samara pine forest territory throughout vegetative seasons of 2006–2008. Trophic communications investigated in laboratory of the Prysamarsky International Biospheric Centre by A. L. Belgard. In conditions of the given experiment 40 copies of imago P. melanarius (Ill.) were contained individually in plastic containers (30 × 20 sm). To each individual of the ground beetle throughout two weeks was offered the invertebrate residents in various biogeohorizontes. The humidified sand with elements of a forest litter was served as a substratum. A potential feed objects biomass offered to P. melanarius (Ill.) was corresponded to a biomass of the invertebrates collected in natural community on the area in some square meters.

Results and their discussion

P. melanarius (Ill.) makes considerable impact on trophoconsortiums formation in forest litter and soil biogeohorizontes, exterminating in 60–100 % cases of many phytophages and phytosaprophages. The last ones consuming vegetative phytoweight and leaf fall play a role of primary converters of organic substance for its further assimilation on the highest levels of a trophic pyramid.

During the experiment the tendency to considerable eating by ground beetles of zoophages of the І order among which dominate small Carabidae and Staphylinidae was observed. The «eating percent» of this category zoophages by P. melanarius (Ill.) decreases with increase indexes of body sizes and weight.

P. melanarius (Ill.) communications with zoophages of the ІІ order are rather weak that speaks of accessory to this trophic group mainly «fast» on rates of predators moving in space with firm covers of a body. Among zoophages ІІ and ІІІ usages, and also necrophages, P. melanarius (Ill.) actively eats larvae of numerous Carabidae and Silphidae species. However avoids adult individuals of the above-stated families. In size-weight structure of this carabus trophic objects individuals of І order zoophages  are prevailed with its weight (8–31,9 mg), and also sapro- and phitophages with weight index over 128 mg.

P. melanarius (Ill.) communications with pantophages mass species (Formicidae) are interesting. Being at the highest levels of a trophic network, ants are capable to regulate number of big ground beetles, actively eating imago P. melanarius (Ill.) in the conditions of Prysamarja’s wood ecosystems (the Dnepropetrovsk area, Ukraine) [2] and Russia [1]. Researches of separate aspects of mutual relations of ants (Formica) and representatives of Carabidae family, including P. melanarius (Ill.) [3], have revealed dependence etological reactions of ground beetles from the previous experience of contacts to ants. An aggressive behavior of ants develops to reflex of «avoiding» its by ground beetles. In turn, ground beetles actively eat dead individuals of Formicidae.

Conclusions

P. melanarius (Ill.) – one of dominante species of forest litter invertebrates of Ukraine’s steppe zone. It capable to make wide trophic impact on fito- sapro- zoo-and pantophages, living in leaf-litter. For the investigated species the wide trophic niche is characteristic compared with other ground beetles representatives. That is one of the reasons of P. melanarius (Ill.) high number in many anthropogenic pressed ecosystems.

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