Biodiv Sci ›› 2022, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (12): 22343.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2022343

Special Issue: 昆虫多样性与生态功能

• Original Papers • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Dynamic change of ground-dwelling beetle community in a gobi desert of the middle of Hexi Corridor and its influencing factors

Yongyi Lin1, Yongzhen Wang1, Yilin Feng2, Wenzhi Zhao1,2, Junwei Gao3, Jiliang Liu1,*()   

  1. 1. Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000
    2. School of Ecology and Environment, Ningxia University Breeding Base for State Key Lab of Land Degradation and Ecological Restoration in Northwestern China/Key Lab of Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystems in Northwestern China of Ministry of Education, Yinchuan 750021
    3. Linze Desertification Control Basin Research Station, Zhangye, Gansu 734200
  • Received:2022-06-21 Accepted:2022-08-10 Online:2022-12-20 Published:2022-11-01
  • Contact: *E-mail: liujl707@lzb.ac.cn

Abstract:

Aims: The purpose of the study is to further understand the species/genus composition and activity rhythms of ground-dwelling beetles of gobi.
Methods: From January to December during 2018 and 2020, the number of individuals and species of ground-dwelling beetles in a gobi desert of the Hexi Corridor were continuously observed with pitfall traps, and the climatic elements of the region were observed.
Results: (1) Ground-dwelling beetles of the gobi were composed of 21 species from 5 families, including carabid, chrysomelid, curculionid, geotrupid and tenebrionid, and Microdera kraatzi alashanica, Blaps gobiensis and Lethrus potanini were the dominant species; (2) The activity rhythm of ground-dwelling beetles in gobi had obvious seasonal variations. The activity period of ground-dwelling beetles were from March to October, the activity density of ground-dwelling beetles peaked in April to July, and the species richness of ground-dwelling beetles peaked in May; (3) The activity density of ground-dwelling beetles increased significantly in 2019 with increased precipitation, and the species richness and diversity index of ground-dwelling beetles decreased significantly in 2018 with decreased precipitation; (4) The type of feeding and individuals size of ground-dwelling beetles affected their activity rhythm. The years of increased precipitation increased the activity density of the curculionid of phytophagous and some species of the tenebrionid, and the response of the activity density of some species of tenebrionid showed a certain hysteresis with precipitation; (5) The change of precipitation and temperature strongly affected the activity rhythm of ground-dwelling beetles. The number of individuals and species of ground-dwelling beetles had a significant quadratic and exponential relationship with monthly average precipitation and temperature. The response of phytophagous and predatory beetles to the change of precipitation and temperature were more sensitive than those of beetles of saprophagy, the response of large beetles to the change of precipitation were more sensitive than those of medium and small beetles.
Conclusion: The change of precipitation and temperature affect the activity rhythm of gobi ground-dwelling beetles, and the responses of different ground-dwelling beetle species to them are different due to their different physiological and ecological characteristics, which affect the dynamic changes of the ground-dwelling beetles communities.

Key words: the middle of Hexi Corridor, gobi, ground-dwelling beetles, community dynamics, functional traits