Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as predators of conifer seeds

Abstract

Martinková, Z., Koprdová, S., Kulfan, J., Zach, P., Honěk, A., 2019. Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as predators of conifer seeds. Folia Oecologica, 46: 37-44.Many species of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) are important predators of seeds. While the consumption of herb seeds has been intensively studied, little attention has been paid to the consumption of seeds of gymnosperm plants. Here, we determined the consumption of seeds of six coniferous species by four common carabid species and compared carabid preference for conifer and selected common angiosperm weed seed species. In no-choice experiments, the large carabid species Pseudoophonus rufipes preferentially consumed the seeds of Picea abies, Larix decidua and Pinus sylvestris. Pinus sylvestris was also preferred by another large carabid, Pterostichus melanarius. The smaller carabids Harpalus affinis and H. rubripes consumed conifer seeds reluctantly. The intensity of seed consumption by carabids decreased with increasing seed size.In choice experiments, both of the large carabid species preferred the small conifer seeds of P. sylvestris and L. decidua over herb seeds of similar size (Dipsacus fullonum, Galeopsis speciosa, Polygonum lapathifolium). Carabids may prefer conifer seeds because of their soft seed coats, regardless of their chemical protections. Postdispersal predation of seeds by carabids may be an important mortality factor in some conifer species.

The biology of seed discrimination and its role in shaping the foraging ecology of carabids: A review

“…Predator body mass allometry was found highly predictive of prey selection decision in carnivorous carabids preying on insects like aphids, collembola, and caterpillars in the field (Bell et al, 2008;Rusch et al, 2015;Schmitz, 2007). Similarly, predator body mass strongly affected seed selection decisions in carabid weed seed predators in laboratory studies (Honek et al, 2007;Martinkova et al, 2019;. Despite their strong impact, effects emerging from predator body mass on food choice remain poorly understood.…”

Gut microbial community response to herbicide exposure in a ground beetle

“…Ground beetles are an essential group of beneficial insects of particular interest as indicators in the environmental quality assessment (Avgın & Luff, 2010;Ghannem et al 2018;Rainio & Niemelä, 2003) and useful for their contribution in agroecosystems to promote biological control services (De Heij & Willenborg, 2020;Holland, 2002;Koivula, 2011). Carabids act in the soil food web on pests including aphids, beetles, lepidopterans, slugs and dipterans as generalist or specialist predators (Ferrante et al 2017;Giglio et al 2012;Holland, 2002;Roubinet et al 2017) and consumers of weed seeds (Hana et al 2020;Honek et al 2003;Kulkarni et al 2015;Martinková et al 2019;Talarico et al 2016). However, carabids inhabiting agricultural landscapes are exposed, by direct contact or consuming contaminated food, to residual doses of agrochemicals that have sublethal effects on morphology, physiology and behaviour of organisms (Benítez et al 2018;Kunkel et al 2001;Tooming et al 2017;Van Toor, 2006) and consequently considerable effects on the diversity and abundance of species (De Heij & Willenborg, 2020;Holland & Luff, 2000).…”

Investigations of mature Scots pine stands in wind-throw areas in Norway spruce forests in Western Rhodopes

“…In commercial forests, it is necessary to optimise the canopy cover of the maternal forest stand as a way facilitating the starting phase of regeneration (Ulbrichová et al, 2018). Before seed germination, an important mortality factor in natural regeneration of P. sylvestris may be postdispersal predation of seeds by carabids (Martinková et al, 2019). In the countries of western and southern Europe, the Scots pine, as well as other species of the genus Pinus, often form large forest complexes, mainly on exposed stands or on stands disturbed in other ways.…”