Usage of Fermental Traps for the Study of the Species Diversity of Coleoptera in Open Biotopes

Abstract

Usage of a variety of non-trivial ways to study Coleoptera gives unexpected and original results. The studies were conducted using simple traps with fermenting baits in the central part of European Russia. There were 286 trap exposures, and 7906 Coleoptera specimens (208 species from 35 families) were collected. The largest number of species belonged to the families Cerambycidae (35 species), Curculionidae (26 species), and Elateridae (25 species). One species each was noted in 12 families. Traps were applied in five open habitats (dry meadow, shore, floodplain meadow, cuttings under power lines, and glade in woods). Only 13 species were common to all habitats: Cetonia aurata, Protaetia marmorata, Dasytes niger, Cryptarcha strigata, Glischrochilus grandis, Glischrochilus hortensis, Glischrochilus quadrisignatus, Soronia grisea, Notoxus monoceros, Aromia moschata, Leptura quadrifasciata, Rhagium mordax, Anisandrus dispar. Dry meadows were dominated by C. aurata, A. murinus, and P. cuprea volhyniensis. A shore was dominated by C. strigata, G. grandis, G. hortensis, S. grisea, and A. dispar. The dominant species in floodplain meadows were G. hortensis, S. grisea, and A. dispar. On cuttings under power lines, the most numerous were C. aurata, P. cuprea volhyniensis, and C. viridissima. In forest glades, the maximum abundance data were obtained for G. grandis, C. strigata, and A. dispar. The Shannon index was greatest in meadow habitats of varying degrees of moisture, while it was minimal on the shore. The increase in the Simpson index was also characteristic of the shore. These data indicate reduced species diversity combined with the dominance of several species in this biotope. The maximum species diversity with the highest level of species alignment was characteristic of meadow plots, while lower values were obtained under power lines and in forest glades. We recommend the usage of fermental traps with beer for ecological studies of the Coleoptera fauna in open biotopes.