The effect of channel restoration on ground beetle communities in the floodplain of a channelized mountain stream

The last ice age considerably influenced distribution patterns of extant species of plants and animals, with some of them now inhabiting disjunct areas in the subarctic/arctic and alpine regions. This arctic-alpine distribution is characteristic for many cold-adapted species with a limited dispersal ability and can be found in many invertebrate taxa, including ground beetles. The ground beetle Pterostichus adstrictus Eschscholtz, 1823 of the subgenus Bothriopterus was previously known to have a holarctic-circumpolar distribution, in Europe reaching its southern borders in Wales and southern Scandinavia. Here, we report the first findings of this species from the Austrian Ötztal Alps, representing also the southernmost edge of its currently known distribution, confirmed by the comparison of morphological characters to other Bothriopterus species and DNA barcoding data. Molecular data revealed a separation of the Austrian and Finish specimens with limited to no gene flow at all. Furthermore, we present the first data on habitat preference and seasonality of P. adstrictus in the Austrian Alps.

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Thermal Characteristics of a Beaver Dam Analogues Equipped Spring-Fed Creek in the Canadian Rockies

Water ◽

10.3390/w13070990 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 990

Author(s):

Tariq M. Munir ◽

Cherie J. Westbrook

Keyword(s):

Thermal Characteristics ◽

Cutthroat Trout ◽

Rocky Mountain ◽

Optimal Growth ◽

Stream Temperature ◽

Mountain Stream ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Restoration Technique ◽

Beaver Dam ◽

In Series

Beaver dam analogues (BDAs) are becoming an increasingly popular stream restoration technique. One ecological function BDAs might help restore is suitable habitat conditions for fish in streams where loss of beaver dams and channel incision has led to their decline. A critical physical characteristic for fish is stream temperature. We examined the thermal regime of a spring-fed Canadian Rocky Mountain stream in relation to different numbers of BDAs installed in series over three study periods (April–October; 2017–2019). While all BDA configurations significantly influenced stream and pond temperatures, single- and double-configuration BDAs incrementally increased stream temperatures. Single and double configuration BDAs warmed the downstream waters of mean maxima of 9.9, 9.3 °C by respective mean maxima of 0.9 and 1.0 °C. Higher pond and stream temperatures occurred when ponding and discharge decreased, and vice versa. In 2019, variation in stream temperature below double-configuration BDAs was lower than the single-configuration BDA. The triple-configuration BDA, in contrast, cooled the stream, although the mean maximum stream temperature was the highest below these structures. Ponding upstream of BDAs increased discharge and resulted in cooling of the stream. Rainfall events sharply and transiently reduced stream temperatures, leading to a three-way interaction between BDA configuration, rainfall and stream discharge as factors co-influencing the stream temperature regime. Our results have implications for optimal growth of regionally important and threatened bull and cutthroat trout fish species.

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Nickel oxide nanoparticles induce genotoxicity and cellular alterations in the ground beetle Blaps polycresta (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Toxicology and Industrial Health ◽

10.1177/07482337211000988 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 074823372110009

Author(s):

Dalia Abdel Moneim Kheirallah ◽

Awatef Mohamed Ali ◽

Salah Eldein Osman ◽

Amal Mohamed Shouman

Keyword(s):

Nickel Oxide ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Ground Beetle ◽

Biological Tissues ◽

Treated Group ◽

Sublethal Dose ◽

Oxide Nanoparticles ◽

Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles ◽

Nio Nps ◽

The Impact

Nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NPs) have advantageous applications in the industry; however, little is known of their adverse effects on biological tissues. In the present study, the ground beetle Blaps polycresta was employed as a sensitive indicator for nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO-NPs) toxicity. Adult male beetles were injected with six dose levels of NiO-NPs (0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, and 0.06 mg/g body weight). Mortality was reported daily over 30 days under laboratory conditions to establish an LD50. Nickel was detected in the testicular tissues of the beetles using X-ray analysis and transmission electronic microscopy. Beetles treated with the sublethal dose of 0.02 mg/g were selected to observe molecular, cellular, and subcellular changes. Gene transcripts of HSP70, HSP90, and MT1 were found to be increased >2.5-, 1.5-, and 2-fold, respectively, in the treated group compared with the controls. Decreased gene expression of AcPC01, AcPC02, and AcPC04 (≤1.5-, ≤2-, and < 2.5-fold, respectively, vs. controls) also were reported in the treated group. Under light microscopy, various structural changes were observed in the testicular tissues of the treated beetles. Ultrastructure observations using scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed severe damage to the subcellular organelles as well as deformities of the heads and flagella of the spermatozoa. Therefore, the present study postulated the impact of NiO-NPs in an ecological model.

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The role of large-scale descriptors and morphological status in shaping ground beetle (Carabidae) assemblages of floodplains in Germany

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.03.042 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 103 ◽

pp. 124-133 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hannah Jachertz ◽

Kathrin Januschke ◽

Daniel Hering

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Ground Beetle ◽

Morphological Status

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Body size and mean individual biomass variation of ground-beetles community (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as a response to increasing altitude and associated vegetation types in mountainous ecosystem

Biologia ◽

10.1515/biolog-2017-0114 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 72 (9) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aleksandra Cvetkovska-Gjorgjievska ◽

Slavčo Hristovski ◽

Dana Prelić ◽

Lucija Šerić Jelaska ◽

Valentina Slavevska-Stamenković ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Altitudinal Gradient ◽

Vegetation Type ◽

Ground Beetle ◽

Vegetation Types ◽

Forest Stands ◽

Geologic History ◽

White Oak ◽

Mountain Ecosystems ◽

Individual Biomass

AbstractCarabid fauna is not sufficiently explored in Central and Western Balkan areas, especially in mountain ecosystems with unique biodiversity which is a result of specific environmental factors and geologic history. Furthermore, distribution of species and adaptation to varying environmental parameters change along the altitudinal gradients. All this highlights the need for biodiversity and ecological studies in order to assess the state of the mountain ecosystems and conservation significance. Carabids as good bioindicator group can be used as a tool for monitoring those changes. The aim of this study was to analyse the differences of body size distribution and mean individual biomass (MIB) of ground beetle assemblages as a response of changing conditions and vegetation types along an altitudinal gradient on Belasitsa Mountain in south Macedonia. Both parameters significantly decreased with increasing altitude and were consequently associated with the vegetation type. Larger bodied individuals and higher values of MIB were recorded in the white oak and oriental hornbeam forest stands with the values decreasing in sessile oak forests towards submontane and montane beech forest stands. This research yielded first list of carabid species inhabiting Belasitsa Mountain with insight of carabid body length and biomass distribution along altitudinal gradient.

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Mechanisms in the Shift of a Riparian Ground Beetle (Carabidae) Between Reproduction and Hibernation Habitat

Journal of Insect Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10905-006-9036-1 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 19 (5) ◽

pp. 545-558 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Johan Andersen

Keyword(s):

Ground Beetle

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