The Rosalia longicorn or Alpine longhorn (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an endangered and strictly protected icon of European saproxylic biodiversity. Despite its popularity, lack of information on its demography and mobility may compromise adoption of suitable conservation strategies. The beetle experienced marked retreat from NW part of its range; its single population survives N of the Alps and W of the Carpathians. The population inhabits several small patches of old beech forest on hill-tops of the Ralska Upland, Czech Republic. We performed mark-recapture study of the population and assessed its distribution pattern. Our results demonstrate the high mobility of the beetle, including dispersal between hills (up to 1.6 km). The system is thus interconnected; it contained ∼2000 adult beetles in 2008. Estimated population densities were high, ranging between 42 and 84 adult beetles/hectare a year. The population survives at a former military-training ground despite long-term isolation and low cover of mature beech forest (∼1%). Its survival could be attributed to lack of forestry activities between the 1950s and 1990s, slow succession preventing canopy closure and undergrowth expansion, and probably also to the distribution of habitat patches on conspicuous hill-tops. In order to increase chances of the population for long term survival, we propose to stop clear-cuts of old beech forests, increase semi-open beech woodlands in areas currently covered by conifer plantations and active habitat management at inhabited sites and their wider environs.

Abstract. Knowledge of the dispersal ability of endangered species is crucial for developing effective, evidence-based conservation policies. Due to their limited dispersal abilities and specific habitat requirements, insects are among the animals most threatened by habitat fragmentation. We studied three populations of the highly endangered species of ground beetle, Carabus hungaricus, at three sites in Central Europe (Hungary and Czech Republic) using mark-release-recapture (MRR). The total catch of 574 pitfall traps set at the three sites was 6255 individuals. Depending on the site, the percentage recaptured was 13-32%. average and maximum distance moved by individuals of both sexes at each of the sites ranged between 47-132 and 207-1104 m, respectively. The probability of the movements following an inverse power function (IPF) for the two sexes did not differ, but did differ among sites. Probability of dispersing for distances >100 m differed by an order of magnitude between sites, most likely because of differences in how the samples were collected. Despite the fact that individual beetles are able to move over distances in the order of kilometres, the high fragmentation of their habitats is likely to prevent them from colonizing most uninhabited habitat patches. Therefore, the conservation of this threatened ground beetle could be improved by adopting and implementing a policy of assisted dispersal. our results from three study sites also provide an interesting illustration of the variability in the estimates of the probability of dispersal obtained using MRR.* Deceased.

Abstract.  1. To facilitate effective conservation management of dry‐grassland diversity we studied the habitat selection of Carabus hungaricus, the globally declining, highly endangered, dry‐grassland specialist beetle listed in the EU Habitats Directive, and several co‐occurring beetles at a pannonian dry‐grassland fragment, the Pouzdrany steppe, SE Czech Republic. The beetles were sampled using 186 pitfall traps from March to November 2006. Number of C. hungaricus captures in each trap was related to vegetation and abiotic habitat characteristics; captures of all sampled beetles in each trap were related to each other. 2. We found that C. hungaricus prefers relatively humid patches of tall‐grass steppe within the xeric grassland and tall‐grass ruderal vegetation nearby. During the breeding period, females preferred drier and warmer sites than males. 3. Its potential competitors, i.e., Carabus spp., Calosoma spp. (Coleoptera: Carabidae), and other species of conservation interest, including Meloe spp. (Coleoptera: Meloidae), Dorcadion spp. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), were associated with vegetation avoided by C. hungaricus, such as short‐grass and bare‐soil patches and woody plants. 4. Vegetation structure within 2.5 m affected C. hungaricus captures more than on smaller and larger scales. Carabus hungaricus enters unfavoured non‐forest habitats such as arable land, which allows it to spread into suitable habitats within agricultural landscapes. It strictly avoids closed forest; even narrow strips of forest thus likely act as migration barriers. 5. The preference of C. hungaricus for overgrown steppe and fallow land highlights that habitats often considered of low conservation value are important to sustain grassland biodiversity.