Carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities in a woodland habitat in Hungary

Carabid communities were investigated in a woodland area within the long-term framework of the MAB project in Hungary, in 1985—86 and in 1993—94, using pitfall trapping. The structural characteristics ofthe carabid communitites and the habitat preferences of the most abundant species were studied in a beech wood, an oak forest, a transition zone and an ecotone. Altogether 7,636 carabid individuals were collected, representing 39 species. The value of Shannon diversity and the equitability consistently peaked in the transition zone. Further statistical analysis showed that the studied habitats were remarkably differentiated from each other

REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS AND HABITAT SELECTION OF CARABUS ULRICHII (COLEOPTERA, CARABIDAE) IN WOODLAND HABITATS IN HUNGARY

The distribution, seasonality and reproductive characteristics of Carabus ulrichii (Coleoptera, Carabidae) were studied in woodland habitats in Hungary. We sampled a beech forest, an oak forest and the adjacent transition zone using pitfall traps, in the Pilis Biosphere Reserve in 2005 and 2006. Generalised linear models were used to explore the impacts of the habitat quality and seasonality on the distribution of this species. We found that the light intensity model explained best the species' activity density pattern, suggesting preference for open oak forest. We also found that the mandible wear was not a good estimator of age in C. ulrichii, but ovarial condition could be used to assess reproductive status. The seasonal activity and life history patterns were similar in the three different habitats for both sexes. Although differences in the total activity density of the species were found, there were no differences either in the seasonal activity patterns, or in the age-composition, or in the reproductive characteristics of C. ulrichii among the studied habitats. C. ulrichii beetles reproduced only once per season in the studied forested habitats