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Spatio-temporal distribution and emergence of beetles in arable fields in relation to soil moisture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 February 2007

J.M. Holland ,
C.F.G. Thomas ,
T. Birkett  and
S. Southway
J.M. Holland*
Affiliation:
The Game Conservancy Trust, Fordingbridge, Hants SP6 1EF, UK
C.F.G. Thomas
Affiliation:
Seale-Hayne Agroecology Research Group, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 6NQ, UK
T. Birkett
Affiliation:
The Game Conservancy Trust, Fordingbridge, Hants SP6 1EF, UK
S. Southway
Affiliation:
The Game Conservancy Trust, Fordingbridge, Hants SP6 1EF, UK
*
*Fax: +44(0)1425 651026 E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Predatory beetles contribute to the control of crop pests and are an important food resource for farmland birds. Many of these beetle species overwinter as larvae within agricultural soils, however, their spatio-temporal emergence patterns are poorly understood, even though such knowledge can assist with their management for biocontrol. Soil moisture is considered to be a key factor influencing oviposition site selection and larval survival. The time, density and spatial pattern of Carabidae and Staphylidae emergence was therefore measured across two fields and compared to soil moisture levels in the previous winter and adult distribution in the previous July. The mean density of Carabidae and Staphylidae that emerged between April and harvest within each field was 157 and 86 m−2, indicating that soils are an important over-wintering habitat for beneficial invertebrates and should be managed sympathetically if numbers are to be increased. Of the species that were sufficiently numerous to allow their spatial pattern to be analysed, all showed a heterogeneous emergence pattern, although patches with high emergence were stable over the sampling period. The distribution of eight species was influenced by soil moisture levels in the previous winter and eight species, although not the same, were spatially associated with the distribution of adults in the previous summer suggesting that the females selected oviposition areas with the appropriate soil wetness.

Keywords

CarabidaeStaphylinidaespatial dynamicsSADIEagroecologyconservation biocontrol
Type
Research Article
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 97 , Issue 1 , February 2007 , pp. 89 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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