A comparative study on orthopteroid assemblages along a moisture gradient in the Western Carpathians

Abstract

Orthopteroid assemblages (orders Orthoptera and Mantodea) were compared along moisture gradient at five sites of the Slovak Karst in southern Slovakia. A total of 40 species were recorded by sweep-net sampling. The occurence of each identified species varied with soil moisture and other factors. Sites with similar moisture conditions tend to have similar assemblages. No species occurred simultaneously at the wettest and driest sites. There were two principal and five subordinate assemblages within the moisture gradient. Assemblages were related to the two commonest habitat types demarcated by the presence of different indicator species. Total orthopteroid species richness and number of grasshopper (Acridoidea) species increased linearly with falling soil moisture and Ellenberg's indicator value for moisture.

The classification of insect communities: Lessons from orthopteran assemblages of semi-dry calcareous grasslands in central Germany

“…For example functional groups (guilds) can be arranged along ecological gradients (e.g. Szövényi, 2002;Gavlas et al, 2007). In this study, the results of the DCA (Fig.…”

Record ofXya pfaendleriHarz, 1970 (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) in the Czech Republic: evidence that the species is spreading north

“…X. pfaendleri has not been found at X. variegata localities in the Czech Republic. These species can occur together (Holuša et Kočárek 1999;Berg et al 2000;Gavlas et al 2007), and their spread should be monitored. Suitable localities for these species should also be mapped and monitored.…”

Response of Orthoptera assemblages to management of montane grasslands in the Western Carpathians

“…Species preferring overgrowth and secondary succession of vegetation (P. aptera, P. falcata), species sensitive to over-fertilization (G. campestris, A. fusca, P. stridulus), or species preferring higher moisture (M. brachyptera, C. dispar) typically dominated in grasslands with management of the lowest intensity (Marini et al 2008(Marini et al , 2009Gavlas et al 2007). Widespread and common species of Caelifera (C. parallelus, E. brachyptera, C. dorsatus) which determined mown meadows or plots with sheep pens in the Poľana Mts are characteristic for other fertilized meadows, which are also used for commercial production (Detzel 1998;Marini et al 2008Marini et al , 2009.…”

“…They are suitable indicators of habitat quality and changes induced by management, as herbal and grassy plants are used for their roosting and sheltering (often prey of birds and reptiles), foraging (primary and secondary consumers) and reproduction (courtship and egg laying) (e.g., Báldi & Kisbenedek 1997;Ingrisch & Köhler 1998;Kampmann et al 2008). Besides common and widespread species, many other species exhibit specific requirements on moisture (Gavlas et al 2007), temperature or sun radiation (Kampmann et al 2008), they also show a sensitivity to pesticides (Branson et al 2006), succession of vegetation (Marini et al 2009) and habitat management (Marini et al 2008).…”