Rove beetle communities (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in the rock dumps after coal mining

Abstract

Rock dumps formed as a result of coal mining are unique model for studying the rove beetle communities. In total 60 species, 38 genera, 7 subfamilies of rove beetles were registered using soil traps. The greatest diversity of rove beetles was noted in forb-grass meadows (H`  = 2.89) and pine plantations (H`  = 2.39). The diversity of rove beetles was low (H`  = 1.11) in birch and aspen-fir forests despite the greater number of revealed species. Only two eurytopic and mesophilic species (Drusilla canaliculata and Xantholinus linearis) were dominant in the rock dumps. Most of the rove beetles were eurytopic or forest species, zoophagous or mixophagous, mesophilous or hygrophilous. The number of eurytopic species and obligate predators increased, and the dynamic density of beetles decreased from older to younger dumps. The number of rove beetles depended on the soil temperature and humidity and the vegetation cover. Rove beetle communities are good indicators for monitoring the restoration of areas that have been technically degraded.